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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29753634">Tin Soldier</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzurilNoirRaine/pseuds/AzurilNoirRaine'>AzurilNoirRaine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Amnesiac Envy, Bottom Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist), Brainwashed Envy, Brainwashing, Edvy Is My FMA Bread And Butter, Edward Elric Keeps Alchemy, Edward Elric Swears, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Flashbacks, Hurt Some Comfort, I Sail This Ship For It Is A Mighty Vessel, I Ship It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Going to Hell, Inspired by Music, It's Cute Ok?, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Rating May Change, Surrogate Dad Marcoh, Surrogate Family Team Mustang, They/Them Pronouns for Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist), This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This Wasn't Supposed To Be Multichapter, Top Edward Elric, Trying Not To Add Too Much Plot, no betas we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:55:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>37,425</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29753634</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzurilNoirRaine/pseuds/AzurilNoirRaine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>It hurt to watch, it really did, Envy struggling the way they were with such simple tasks. They looked so slight and frail in the loose gown, sounded so broken as they stumbled and stuttered through trying to recall seemingly anything, and seemed so vacant and faraway. As though someone had gutted out everything that made them Envy and left nothing but a pretty husk behind. The most painful part for Ed was knowing that he was the one that had done the gutting. He’d been so desperate, he’d have done anything, promised the world, given up everything he had, his life included, to save Envy that day…Now he was wondering if he hadn’t done more damage by bringing Envy back from the dead than Mustang had sending them there in the first place.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A canon divergence AU where, thanks to some quick thinking on Greed and Ed's parts, Envy survives Mustang's best efforts...in a manner of speaking, at least.</p><p>There's pairings apart from Ed/Envy,  but that's the main one. The rest are background. Sorry.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edvy, Edward Elric/Envy, Mei Chan | May Chang/Alphonse Elric</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Farewell To The Autumn Bird Dancing In A White Frame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don’t even know. It’s almost 4 a.m. and I’m starting this while listening to music on YouTube instead of sleeping like a smart person. The title came from a song by Hanson that inspired the fic and, I guess, has something to do with the actual story in a vague sort of way, but I’m pulling a lot of this out of my ass as I go so we’ll see if that stays the same. This takes place after Brotherhood and I’m playing a little fast and loose with things…like technological limitations, Ed still having his alchemy, how Homunculi go about dying, no Wormvy (a travesty, but a requirement for maximum emotional impact), and Envy and Greed not being dead. I’m only confident in my knowledge of the anime, but bits from the manga might make it in, as I am reading it finally. I’m kind of chowing down on it like I just got back from fat camp, though, so I’m probably going to need to reread it at a slower, easier to digest pace…didn’t mean to continue the fat camp analogy, but there it is so whatever I guess. They/Them pronouns for Envy.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ed goes  to visit the object of his affection, and victim of his desperation.</p><p> </p><p>  <em>Desperation is a funny thing, it can bring growth and creativity...or it can be the catalyst for some of life's most unforgivable mistakes. Ed's. pretty sure he knows which one of those things his desperation birthed.</em></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter names are combinations of or references to the titles of songs that I listened to while writing this. Because, for some reason, I thought that was creative, when, actually, it really only ended out making it look like I had a stroke.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em>“Do you like dancing?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>The question had been asked when they were sitting outside, a ways away from a trio of street musicians playing a slow, soft melody. It had taken Ed by surprise, if he was being honest.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Dancing?” He asked, looking at the Homunculus seated next to him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah.” Envy said with a nod. “You know, making your body move in time with music. That thing.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I know what dancing is. And…I guess.” The conversation almost ended there, until something occurred to him. “Why?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>To his surprise, Envy nodded, smiling widely, looking at Ed with bright, lively violet eyes.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah! It’s surprisingly fun, for being something humans came up with.” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Envy’s ability to wrap an insult in a compliment and somehow make it sound perfectly kosher had always been astonishing to Ed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Gee, thanks…I guess…” He muttered. Envy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No problem.” They said with a smile that never failed to make Ed melt.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“…Did you want to?” He asked. Envy looked confused.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Want to what?” They asked. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Dance.” Ed said. “Did you want to?” Suddenly, the confidence was gone, replaced by flushed cheeks, some sputtering, and a lot of avoiding looking at Ed. His eyes widened in shock as realisation set in. “Are you…nervous about dancing in front of people?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Wha-nerv-I-that’s-it’s just-I’m not-that is-no!” Envy stammered quickly. “Why would I be nervous-What are you doing?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Come on.” Ed said, standing up off the bench he’d been sat on. “Let’s go.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Go where?” Envy asked as Ed offered them a hand.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Over there, by those other people. The ones dancing.” Ed said, grabbing Envy’s hand before they could pull back.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No, Ed, wait, not-Nnnnoooo!” Envy whined as Ed refused to let go of them, giving them a light tug. “Ed, no, not-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“If you’re scared of embarrassing yourself in front of a bunch of humans, I’ll understand.” Ed said. Envy bristled.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Embarrassing myself?” They demanded. Ed nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, yeah, I mean, if you’re not confident that you’re better at it than they are, being embarrassed is only-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Let’s go.” Envy said firmly, hopping down off the bench they’d been perched on and pulling Ed along behind them. “Not as good as humans, the fucking nerve.” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Ed grinned. It was almost too easy sometimes.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Did I say something wrong?” He asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You know exactly what you said, you ass.” Envy said. “You think I haven’t figured you out by now?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You know how sad that makes the fact that you still fall for it, don’t you?” Ed asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Look, pipsqueak,” Envy said as they turned to face Ed, wrapping their arms loosely around the blonde’s neck, “you want this, you shut up, and you take it. Or we’re sitting back down.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Pipsqueak?! I’m taller than you now-“ Ed’s tirade was cut off by soft lips gently brushing against his own. “Taking it.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Damn straight you are.” Envy said with a small smirk as Ed’s arms wrapped around them, holding them close. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You know,” Ed said after a moment of moving slowly with the music, soft and lilting and sweet on the ears, “I couldn’t help but notice all the other people around us aren’t kissing.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Neither are we.” Envy pointed out. Ed nodded, leaning in close.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah…I know.” He said. Envy smirked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I suppose, if I was really going to one up them…” They said, Ed closed even more of the gap.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah.” He murmured, looking into shining violet eyes, all but glowing in the light from the streetlamps. The gap closed completely and, if he’d died right there, kissing those soft, perfect lips, holding that slim, beautiful body close to him, he’d have had no regrets. The kiss ended, and the only thing that could have made the moment more perfect happened…</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I love you, Ed.” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>He smiled broadly.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I love you too, Envy.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“You seem happy.” Winry observed as she tuned up Ed’s leg. He shrugged, looking out the window. “Let me guess, someone’s making progress?”</p><p class="p1">“They like lilacs.” Ed said. Winry nodded, a knowing smile on her face.</p><p class="p1">“Thought as much.” She said. “You don’t mind if I come with you today, do you?”</p><p class="p1">“What? Really?” Ed asked, surprised. Winry nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I want to say hi.” She said. Ed sighed.</p><p class="p1">“Last time you got creeped out.” He said. “I’m not bringing you again if you’re just going to go in uneasy.”</p><p class="p1">“I know what to expect now.” Winry argued. “Come on, Ed, please.”</p><p class="p1">Ed sighed.</p><p class="p1">“Fine, you can come with.” He conceded. Winry clapped happily, smiling through the rest of the tune up.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>The screaming was unbearable, and there was no such thing as fast enough as Ed backtracked at a dead sprint. All that was registering to him was that voice, usually so calm and composed and smooth, echoing off the walls in pure agony. The closer he got, the stronger the smell of burning flesh and hair became. It made his stomach churn, but he refused to slow down. Even when he was met with flames, he didn’t stop, he didn’t falter, he didn’t hesitate, he held on to the Homunculus and refused to let them go as the flames began to die down. He could hear voices around him, Mustang yelling, Hawkeye doing likewise, anger and fear clashing around him as he held tightly to the only thing in the world that mattered. Envy was limp in his arms, body healing so, so slowly. Was Ed too late? Would this be the end of the Homunculus? Ed refused to believe that, he refused to accept that this was the last he’d ever see of them. He hadn’t noticed when he’d started sobbing, or pleading. That part had been a blur, but the softest, gentlest touch of trembling fingers against his cheek, that he noticed. Violet eyes, tired, full of pain, barely open, and looking right at him met him when he finally opened his eyes again. Barely healed skin cracked and crumbled as a small smile spread over Envy’s face. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy…” He gasped. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed…” Envy wheezed weakly, voice broken and rough from screaming and the deterioration of their body. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy, it’s ok. It’s gonna be ok, you’ll be ok.” Ed babbled quickly, desperately clinging to the limp body in his arms. “You’re gonna be fine. We’ll get out of here, it’ll be alright. Just…just hang on, just…You’ll heal, you’ll-“ Those fingers moved from his cheek to his lips, quieting him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed…” Envy gasped, “I…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Don’t.” Ed pleaded, fighting back more sobs. “Don’t say good bye.” Violet eyes grew hazy, eyelids fluttering as they struggled to stay open. “Please, don’t.” Envy’s smile faded, more of them falling away. Had they ever even been healing? Was that just them trying to hold themselves together to say goodbye, or had they been crumbling the entire time and it was only wishful thinking that had made it seem otherwise? “Don’t do this to me, please. Please.” He was dying, he was sure of it. Right there, on his knees on the ground, holding the crumbling Homunculus close, breaking into just as many pieces as they were. The world was beginning to blur and he realised he was crying again. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. Envy was dying, and the entire world could fade away right along with them as far as Ed was concerned…He could see it now, their Core, the red stone they’d told him would be there. It was duller than he’d thought it would be. Something keeping someone as vivacious and idiosyncratically beautiful as Envy alive should have shone brighter than any star or gem. Envy’s lips were moving as they turned to dust in Ed’s arms, voice gone as most of their body broke down. The tears impeded his vision and he frantically wiped them away, refusing to miss whatever Envy was trying to tell him. Those once perfectly shaped lips moved silently one more time, and Ed broke down, clutching the red stone to him as the last bits of Envy’s body disappeared into dust.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I love you too…I'm so sorry...”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Ed.” Breda greeted with a loose salute and a smile. Ed saluted back.</p><p class="p1">“Breda.” He said. “How are things going today?”</p><p class="p1">“Uneventful enough.” Breda said with a shrug. “The guys in the lab coats said there’s not really much change.” Ed sighed.</p><p class="p1">“I was afraid of that.” He said.</p><p class="p1">“Chin up, Ed.” Breda said, giving the blonde a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “It hasn’t been awake that long, give it time.”</p><p class="p1">“Thanks…” Ed said with a weak smile as Winry caught up to him. “Ready?”</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, now that half the stupid pie is gone…” She said, looking down at the half of an apple pie left in the dish she’d brought. Breda perked up when he saw it.</p><p class="p1">“You know, we can’t just allow any old thing from the outside in here. Should probably test it to make sure-“</p><p class="p1">“Make sure I’m not a rebel trying to poison someone, hiding a bomb in the filling, somehow bringing a recording device in to learn government secrets or whatever it is you were about to add to the list?” Winry asked, a knowing look in her narrowed eyes as she scowled at the soldier, who looked off to the side as though he hadn’t totally been called out. “Go ahead, confiscate a piece. Havoc, Fuery, and Falman already did…respectively.”</p><p class="p1">“There’s four pieces missing, though.” Breda said as he took piece number five.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, yeah, I bumped into Hawkeye and she said it looked good so I offered her some.” Winry explained. Ed and Breda stood in silence for a moment, staring at her. “What?”</p><p class="p1">“Nothing.” Breda said as he turned his focus to his pie. “Go on in.”</p><p class="p1">“Thanks, Breda.” Ed said as the portly man pulled a lever and a trio of thick metal doors opened up, revealing a large elevator that the pair entered. Ed gave a brief greeting to the armed guards waiting inside and pushed the button with a large black ‘B’ on it, stepping back as the elevator began to move.</p><p class="p1">“So, no one bothered wondering what the ‘B’ was before now?” Winry asked.</p><p class="p1">“This elevator’s a new addition.” Ed explained. “It was put in at the request of some very important people that-“</p><p class="p1">“Ling didn’t want to take the back stairs, did he?” Winry cut in. Ed shook his head.</p><p class="p1">“No, he did not.” He said. “According to Greed, his father made sure the real reason this building was made kept secret and the lowest level well-hidden. Only whoever was the Fuhrer at the time knew of its real purpose.”</p><p class="p1">“Not even the rest of the higher ups knew?” Winry asked, looking surprised. Ed shook his head.</p><p class="p1">“Nope.” He said. Winry lowered her gaze, looking troubled.</p><p class="p1">“It’s sickening that this place even exists at all.” She said quietly. Ed nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t want to use it at first…Neither did Greed, actually. Neither of us like what it means, resorting to this…but, well, we didn’t really have much of a choice in the matter.” One of the guards sneezed and Ed gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, we’ll be out of your olfactory range in a minute.”</p><p class="p1">“Why would anyone even want to come down here in the first place?” One of the other guards asked as his companion sniffled, eyeing the flowers Ed had with him with a frown. “I heard the thing’s as good as a vegetable, it’s not like it’d be any fun to visit it.”</p><p class="p1">“They woke up a few weeks ago.” Ed said, tone and expression carrying a warning. “And they won’t get any better without outside stimulation, which they don’t get if no one aside from staff visits them.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, sir, Fullmetal, sir!” The man said quickly, recognising that he’d overstepped. The elevator finally stopped and the trio of doors opened again, one after the other, revealing a concrete and metal hallway lined with heavily armed guards and too-bright lights. At the opposite end was another large metal door, this one with a window into a room less oppressively lit than the hallway. The pair started down the hallway in silence. The entire building felt off, both to be in and to look at. There was a heaviness in the ground floors, a growing sense of unease on the front steps of the building, and a feeling of impending dread and fragile hope in the hallway they were now walking. It was built solely for the hidden away area the pair was there to visit. A research lab was put in above it to act as a shield between it and the hospital used as a front aboveground. The hospital had been closed down after the conflict with Father had ended, and repurposed as more research labs and offices for the staff. To Ed and Greed’s great relief, Mustang had taken charge of the building, and had managed to persuade Doctor Marcoh to return to service as the head of the establishment. It had been a rocky road trying to convince Mustang of anything, but when you’re confronted by royalty, it can be difficult to refuse sitting down for a chat…especially when the country you live in is being rebuilt and advantageous trade agreements with other countries would be beneficial. They’d needed Hawkeye’s assistance to convince him in the end, but they’d managed it in the end, and had even managed to weasel posting his own men as guards out of him. Ed and Greed had wanted only people they could trust in positions of power, and it had been a frantic rush for a while there to manage it all before things could start to go wrong. Plenty of people had been chomping at the bit to get Marcoh’s spot as head honcho of the most technologically advanced, up-to-date research facility the military had to offer, not a one of them had managed to gain the trust of all of the people calling the shots at the same time. People Ed and Roy trusted, Greed didn’t and Ling had deferred to Greed’s judgment on. People that had passed Greed and Ed’s test hadn’t passed Roy’s and Ling had obtained from judgement. People Ed trusted had been voted out by Greed and Roy with Ling remaining neutral. The process had continued until, finally, Roy had convinced Marcoh to return. Now, said doctor was waiting for Ed and Winry on the other side of the windowed door with a friendly smile.</p><p class="p1">“Winry, Edward, hello. It’s nice to see you both again.” He said.</p><p class="p1">“Hello, Doctor Marcoh.” Winry greeted with a wide smile. Ed gave a curt wave and a smile.</p><p class="p1">“How are they doing today?” He asked. Marcoh gestured for the pair to follow him.</p><p class="p1">“Still unnervingly subdued.” He said as they passed more people in white coats, at monitors and working on machines. Finally, they came to a wall with pipes and cords and wires coming out of it all over the place. Machinery was all around it, screens and panels of buttons and switches lined it under a large window with a segmented metal door lowered over it. Ed stopped to look at the screens under the window, graphs and lines and numbers covered most of them. Data and readings that he’d made it a point to learn everything about were set on display before him. The trio of people manning the computers and machines stopped to look at him. Everyone there had heard of the Fullmetal Alchemist, everyone there knew what he’d done for their country, for them. And no one missed their shot to see a national hero whenever he came to visit, even if that had been everyday thus far since the place was taken off standby and put into proper use.</p><p class="p1">“These numbers seem a little high.” Ed said, looking back at Marcoh, who joined him at the monitor, looking down at the screen.</p><p class="p1">“They do.” He agreed. “Diane,” He looked down at the young woman, who met his gaze quickly, “how long have these numbers been up?”</p><p class="p1">“Since four this morning, Doctor.” The young woman said. “The increase was minor and levelled out quickly, so I thought I’d hold off on mentioning it.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re supposed to bring any and every change to Doctor Marcoh, General Mustang, his men, or me the second it happens.” Ed said, clearly irritated with the woman, who looked concerned now.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t think…” She apologised. The glare Ed gave her clearly stated he agreed with that assessment.</p><p class="p1">“Run the proper diagnostics to make sure it’s not an issue with equipment, please, Diane.” Marcoh said. The woman nodded, then turned her attention to her work again. “Doctor Warley, would you raise the gate please.” Marcoh asked an older man who was seated farther down from them. He nodded, flipping a small switch. Ed and Winry looked up when the gate covering the window began to rise, revealing a plain, off-white room with no furniture, and small, nondescript cameras at all angles on the ceiling, walls and even floor. The only thing in it was its lone occupant, who was curled up on the floor as though sleeping. Three thick cables extended down from the ceiling, attaching to the figure’s back and shoulders, the flimsy, loose-fitting gown they wore hung low on their back to accommodate and barely went halfway down their thighs, showing off the mark on their left leg. Green-black hair fanned out around their head from where they lay in the fetal position on the floor with their back to the window and their only movement the shallow rise and fall of their chest as they lay motionless. Marcoh leaned forward, pushing a button next to a microphone. “Envy, you have visitors.” He said gently. Diane and Doctor Warley exchanged glances, clearly convinced the room’s occupant didn’t need the hushed tones and kid gloves they were receiving. The third man working the machinery looked up to watched the slender creature stir and slowly sit up. There was no yawn of protest at being awoken, no stretching or words of greeting, simply the partial turn of their body towards the window. A thin circlet of metal looped around their head, attaching to three nodes connecting to a trio of spots on their forehead in the shape of an upside-down triangle. Long lashes fluttered as they slowly opened their eyes. Foggy, almost blank violet irises with slightly dilated vertical pupils found their way to Marcoh, the smallest of smiles gracing the pretty, feminine face. Marcoh returned the smile, then gestured towards Ed and Winry. “You remember them, right? Edward and Winry?” He asked. Those vacant eyes moved from the doctor to Ed and Winry, who both waved in greeting. The smile widened with recognition and both doctor and visitors sighed with relief. “They remembered you rather quickly, Winry.” Marcoh said as their observer crawled slowly over to the glass and settled there, watching them speak, not hearing anything, but following whose mouth was moving with their eyes. That small smile still there, giving them an almost dreamy look.</p><p class="p1">“That’s good. Right?” Winry asked. “It means they’re getting better at recognising faces.”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh nodded.</p><p class="p1">“Yes, it’s a definite improvement.” He agreed.</p><p class="p1">“Can we go in?” Ed asked, looking back at the window, and the creature on the other side of it, who noticed him looking and reached out, pressing their palm flat to the glass. Ed smiled, hoping it was reassuring, raising his hand. He fell short of the glass by a ways, but still succeeded in appeasing the person on the other side of it. Marcoh returned to the microphone, pushing the button again.</p><p class="p1">“Would you like to see them?” He asked. “They brought you gifts.” There was a nod in the affirmative, and Marcoh gestured for the pair to follow him. The trio made their way to yet another heavy metal door, which opened to reveal several more doors, opening and closing systematically with the push of a button from the panel the man next to Diane was manning. There were five doors, each with a space for people to stand and wait between them, leading to a small room with a guard in it, outfitted with equipment for restraining and incapacitating. More buttons being pushed in unison between outer and inner panels made another set of four doors open, letting them into a final small space between the guard and the room they were trying to get into. When all the doors were securely closed behind them, the final few opened, leading into the empty room. Its occupant was sitting on the floor by the window, turned to watch them enter, still smiling, long hair hanging loosely down their back and about their face and shoulders. They looked so small and delicate, the expression on their face making them look all the more vulnerable and unassuming. Ed hated it. He hated what he’d been forced to do, to turn the Homunculus into. The argument that it had been done to save their life only went so far to Ed in the end, and he couldn’t help but hate himself for what he’d helped turn such a lively, vibrant creature into. They staggered to their feet, toddling over to stand in front of their visitors, all the elegance and grace they’d once possessed gone, replaced with an unsteadiness that was unnerving in how uncharacteristic it was. They stopped in front of the trio, straightening up and giving a short respectful bow in greeting, one Marcoh returned. Ed suspected that, in spite of their past interactions, Marcoh was enjoying his time with Envy. The dynamic had been drastically changed, the jailed had become the caregiver, and the tormenter had become the dependant. The fear and hatred Marcoh had felt towards the Homunculus had morphed during his time caring for them, and Ed was grateful Mustang had been right when he’d said that would be the case. Envy had gone from violent, cruel, angry, and desperately, hopelessly wanting and alone to quiet, docile, etiolated, and simple. They barely got full sentences out without needing to pause, and spent most of their time sitting or laying down in silence, or interacting with Marcoh. It was almost as though the old doctor had gained a child in a way…at least that’s how it seemed to Ed. Especially now as he watched Marcoh patting Envy’s head softly, smiling and congratulating them on remembering to greet their guests properly. He’d been uncertain originally about bringing Marcoh in. He knew Envy had a past with the doctor, knew it wasn’t a good past, and knew how humans could be when they made the switch from ruled to ruler. He’d had his concerns that the old doctor would let the shift in power get to him, a worry Greed had shared. They’d been reluctant to agree to Mustang’s insistence that Marcoh be brought in because of that, but the general had held firm, humouring them by putting effort into looking elsewhere, even considering other people, but it was obvious now that he’d always kept Marcoh in the forefront of his mind as the ideal choice to look after the broken Homunculus. He’d known what Ed and Greed hadn’t, that Marcoh was an exception to the norm, that he wouldn’t let the past dictate the present and future, that he was better than that. Ed gave Envy his best smile when the Homunculus turned their attention to him.</p><p class="p1">“Hi, Envy. How are you today?” He asked. Envy’s smile broadened.</p><p class="p1">“Good.” They said, voice smooth and clear as always. Ed loved that voice, quiet and calm and full of a strange serene note that he found soothing. “Doctor Marcoh said…I can take walks soon.”</p><p class="p1">“Really?” Ed asked. Envy nodded.</p><p class="p1">“He said…he…said…” They faltered, frowning, eyes narrowing as they tried to remember what they had been attempting to say. “He said…said…” They looked to Marcoh after a moment, clearly growing frustrated, and he gave them a reassuring pat on the shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright, Envy, you’ll get it.” He assured the Homunculus. “We talked about how to remember earlier. What did we say? Relax and think. You can do it.”</p><p class="p1">It hurt to watch, it really did, Envy struggling the way they were with such simple tasks. They looked so slight and frail in the loose gown, sounded so broken as they stumbled and stuttered through trying to recall seemingly anything, and seemed so vacant and faraway. As though someone had gutted out everything that made them Envy and left nothing but a pretty husk behind. The most painful part for Ed was knowing that he was the one that had done the gutting. He’d been so desperate, he’d have done anything, promised the world, given up everything he had, his life included, to save Envy that day…Now he was wondering if he hadn’t done more damage by bringing Envy back from the dead than Mustang had sending them there in the first place. To be fair, he could split the blame with Greed, who had seemed almost as desperate as Ed himself was to make sure Envy pulled through. He’d given up lives to save Envy, had told Ed about the facility they were in, had done everything he and Ling could manage to ensure Envy’s survival…The only difference was he was in Xing, unable to see what all of their efforts had done to his sibling, unable to watch as they stumbled over recalling that morning’s conversations in their empty room, hooked up to their machines, underground, hidden away from the rest of the world, unable to recall anything from who they’d once been, little more than shattered pieces that had been hastily taped back together. It made Ed wonder…if he hadn’t simply repeated his childhood mistake with a different loved one.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright, Envy.” Winry said after a few minutes. “Just tell us when you think of it.”</p><p class="p1">“I…alright.” Envy said, eyes downcast, disappointed in themselves for not being able to remember.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t feel bad,” Ed said, putting his best smile on as he approached Envy, finally offering up the flowers he’d brought. “I’m not very good at remembering things either.” Envy looked astonished by the flowers, staring wide eyed. “You like them?”</p><p class="p1">“Mhm…Oh, I mean yes, I do. Thank you very much.” Envy said with a wide smile as they looked up at Ed. It was bittersweet seeing smile again. The genuine happiness was a balm to an extent and he clung to it, letting Envy take the flowers from him.</p><p class="p1">“I told you I’d bring you the real thing.” Envy nodded, looking at the flowers like they were something magical and wondrous. “You…remember me saying that?” He asked. Envy nodded.</p><p class="p1">“You promised…yesterday.” They said, still smiling, touching the soft blossoms gently, as though afraid they’d break. “You said…” There was that falter again. The furrowed brow, the small frown, the look of concentration. He was about to say it didn’t matter when Envy suddenly perked up, eyes wide, excited. They turned quickly to Marcoh, almost overbalancing in their haste.</p><p class="p1">“Memory palace! Memory palace, and…’association’. That’s…how we remember!” They exclaimed happily. Marcoh’s look of pride was downright fatherly as he gave Envy another few pats on the head.</p><p class="p1">“Very good, Envy. Very good job.” Marcoh congratulated them. Winry nodded, a reassuring smile on her face.</p><p class="p1">“We knew you could do it.” She said. Envy was absolutely beaming at the praise. Ed reached out, gently resting his hand on Envy’s head, unable to keep from feeling some relief and joy at the look of elation on the Homunculus’s face.</p><p class="p1">“Great job…You did a really great job remembering, Envy.” He said. Envy held the flowers close, beaming up at Ed.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you.” They said. He got caught for a moment, in that smile, mind drifting back to a time when it accompanied words of affection, when he could hold the Homunculus close without undoing several weeks of progress in establishing relationships and boundaries in their fractured mind. Ed wasn’t a lover anymore, he was barely a friend, barely a memory…with only himself to blame for that.</p><p class="p1">“…Winry…brought a snack, if you want one.” He said, hand dropping back down to his side. He needed to rein himself in, to bring himself back to the headspace he’d been in when he arrived. The last thing he wanted was for his feelings to break the surface and ruin everything. Envy looked confused.</p><p class="p1">“Snack?” They asked.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, a snack.” Ed said. “It’s something that you eat.”</p><p class="p1">“Can they have some, Doctor Marcoh?” Winry asked, showing him the pie, which Envy looked down at in fascination. Marcoh looked thoughtful.</p><p class="p1">“If they want some, I don’t see why not.” He said finally. Winry looked at Envy.</p><p class="p1">“Do you want to try some pie?” She asked. Envy looked from the pastry to its creator.</p><p class="p1">“Pie?” They asked. Winry nodded.</p><p class="p1">“It’s good.” She assured them, offering them a piece. “Here, take a bite.”</p><p class="p1">Envy hesitantly took the piece of pie from her, taking a small bite. They looked surprised.</p><p class="p1">“It’s…tasty.” They said. Winry nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I only make tasty pies.” She said with a smile. Envy looked at Marcoh.</p><p class="p1">“Try it, Doctor Marcoh, it’s good.” They said excitedly. Ed watched Envy eating the pie, talking Marcoh into taking some for himself. They held the flowers close in one arm, the other hand holding the piece of pie, lovely smile in full swing as they looked around at the trio with them…They looked happy. It did more to soothe the ache. He was pulled out of his thoughts by Envy offering him a bite of their pie slice.</p><p class="p1">“Now, Envy,” Marcoh scolded gently, “don’t offer something you’ve already bitten.”</p><p class="p1">“Ed and I can share the last piece later.” Winry said. “It’s alright.”</p><p class="p1">“Oh…ok.” Envy said, seemingly perplexed by the rule of not offering something already bitten, but continuing to eat their pie undeterred.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>Ed sat outside the Rockbell household, watching Envy playing with Den. It had been interesting to the alchemist, how quickly Den had warmed up to the Homunculus. She had been a snarling, barking mess at first and Ed had worried that there’d be problems…then Envy had turned into another dog and Den had calmed enough to give the Homunculus a proper look over and inspection…Ed had been the only one out of the trio that had found Den’s attempts to assert dominance amusing and Envy had, in fact, punched and yelled at him when they’d taken their bipedal form on again. Now, they’d taken on the canid form again and Ed watched the pair bolting around and wrestling. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“They’re really going at it, aren’t they?” Winry asked as she came up next to Ed. He nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah…Now that Den’s not trying to hump them anymore.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“So that’s what the screaming was about earlier…” Winry muttered.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah, apparently it wasn’t as funny as I thought it was.” Ed said with a shrug, and a wince.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“How funny did you think it was?” Winry asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I might have almost suffocated.” Ed said, watching the pair running laps around the area. “The screaming was partially making sure I wasn’t dying…A really, really, really small part, but a part all the same.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Sorry I missed that.” Winry said. Ed’s brow furrowed and he looked up at her.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Me almost dying or Den molesting Envy?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes.” Winry said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re kind of twisted sometimes.” Ed said, Winry shrugged and took a seat. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re sure you made the right choice not going to see Al at the train station earlier?” She asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah…It’s better like this.” Ed said, leaning back, using his arms to support himself. “We’ll all be out of your hair soon.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You don’t have to rush off, you know.” Winry said. Ed nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes, we do. Envy said the quicker we get moving the better, and they know the most out of all of us about what their father is planning.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And you’re sure you can trust them?” Winry asked. Ed nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah, I’m sure.” He assured her. “Even Greed trusts them, and he’s betrayed them twice.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“…So, is Envy just really forgiving or-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Or what?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>The pair jumped, finding Envy and Den seated at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at them. One panting tiredly, the other watching the conversation with interest.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Uh…just…I’ll go check on dinner.” Winry said quickly, standing up and quickly making her way inside, Den following.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Is it me or is she always quick to switch the topic?” Envy asked, looking at Ed, who chuckled, patting the spot next to him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s just you.” He said as Envy trotted up the stairs, circled, and laid down next to the blonde, who reached out and stroked his head gently. “I still think you should have turned into something smaller.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Do you just…prefer little yappy things, or were you hoping to be able to pick me up and cart me around like a stuffed animal?” Envy teased. Ed looked away, blushing.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’ll laugh.” He said. Envy cocked their head, ears perked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Now I’m really curious.” They said. Ed stayed quiet. “If I promise not to laugh, will you tell me?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No, you’ll laugh anyway.” Ed said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, come on, Ed, please.” Envy pleaded. “Pleeeeeeeaaaasssseeeee!”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Alright, fine…I was kind of hoping you’d turn into something that could, you…fit on my lap…” Envy’s ears went flat to their head, body trembling, head bowing down, front paws coming up over their nose. “Oh, shut up! Stupid dog…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Not…laughing…” Envy gasped, trying to hold back their giggles.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“I’ve never liked the thought of hurting animals, but I </em> <b> <em>will</em> </b> <em> kick you, I swear it.” Ed warned the Homunculus, who finally managed to compose themself.</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Sorry, sorry, I’m good, I’m good.” Envy assured him. “Any special reason you wanted a lap warmer, or just like me being there?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re a dog, can you…not, please?” Ed requested, Envy snickered. “I just…I like you being close and…it’s…kind of comforting having that warmth and weight, you know?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No.” Envy said, shaking their head a bit. “Never really came across a situation where I had anything to comfort me.” They said. Ed had a surprised, almost pitying look on his face and Envy quickly backtracked. “Not that I’ve ever needed comforting, that is.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah…You know,” Ed said, “if you ever did, I’d gladly give it.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t…but…that’s good to know.” Envy said, rolling over onto their side, back against Ed’s thigh. “I’d…be alright with you coming to me for comfort too…Just, you know, incase.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Thanks…” Ed said with a smile. Pinako came to fetch them not long after, and after dinner, and a tune up on Ed’s part, they’d prepared to leave again.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Be careful.” Winry said as the group descended the front stairs.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Careful’s boring.” Envy said. Ed rolled his eyes.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“We will be.” He said, Greed shaking his head slowly with a sigh as Envy visibly drooped “And, when we get back, maybe Envy can finally try one of your apple pies.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It can’t possibly be as good as you’re making it out to be.” Envy argued. “It just can’t.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Well, it’s…not as good as Gracia’s, but, I’m getting there.” Winry said. Envy’s brow furrowed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Who’s Gracia?” They asked, looking at Ed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Missus Hughs. She’s the wife of a late friend of ours.” Ed said, confused when Envy went quiet and looked away.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“If it’s that good, then I’ll have some. Human food’s actually not half bad.”They said finally. Winry smiled.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’ll have one ready and waiting then.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What’s this about going for walks?” Ed asked a few hours later as he, Winry, and Marcoh stepped back into the lab.</p><p class="p1">“We’ve been working on a way to keep Envy connected to the machines, and disconnect them from the ports in their room.” Marcoh explained. “Obviously, it would be easier to manage if we had some more insight into how they function, and how the machines work completely in connection to them…”</p><p class="p1">“Do you think they’ll be able to leave this place at some point?” Ed asked. Marcoh gave him a concerned look.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t know, Edward.” He confessed. “From what I’ve been able to deduce, and from what you and Greed have told me, they’re not even supposed to be alive right now. Whatever the two of you did…it wasn’t supposed to happen. Given that fact, I have no idea what is and isn’t possible for them.”</p><p class="p1">“I couldn’t let them die.” Ed said, eyes downcast. “I couldn’t…stand the thought of losing them.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m not judging you, Edward.” Marcoh assured him. “You, or Greed. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save a life, especially that of a loved one.”</p><p class="p1">“But…” Ed said knowingly. Marcoh sighed.</p><p class="p1">“But…what you two did, no matter what the reason, reduced Envy to a blank slate. It’s not exactly a secret that I wasn’t fond of them before this, what they were was monstrous…but even I think what they’ve been reduced to is little more than a perversion of life.”</p><p class="p1">“We didn’t save them at all.” Ed said. Going by the look on Marcoh’s face, he’d essentially finished the man’s thought for him. “Damn, I was so sure I’d learned my lesson after the first time I tried to bring back the dead…”</p><p class="p1">“Ed…” Winry looked concerned, watching him turn towards the window, looking back into Envy’s room, where a large, glass tube had risen from the middle of the floor. Envy was inside it, suspended off the floor, eyes closed as a few people in lab coats stood around them taking notes and pushing buttons on clunky handheld computers connected to the tube with plugs, printing out readings on rolls of paper. It happened after every visit, mapping out what they could of what Envy had gained and learned, checking their physical state, plenty of other things that sounded a lot like a fancy way of trying to get rid of persistent visitors. Ed questioned it every time, hesitant to leave Envy with them, but he always left in the end. He always put his faith in Marcoh ensuring Envy was treated well. Marcoh saw them out and Ed took a deep, shuddering breath as he and Winry made their way to the elevator.</p><p class="p1">“Are you alright, Ed?” Winry asked. Ed nodded and she raised an eyebrow, knowing better than that by now. He sighed.</p><p class="p1">“Did we do the right thing?” He asked.</p><p class="p1">“What?” Winry asked, perplexed.</p><p class="p1">“Greed and I.” Ed explained, looking at her, desperation mixed in with the emotional exhaustion his visits generally ended in. “Did we do the right thing bringing them back?”</p><p class="p1">Winry shook her head apologetically, she had no answer for him. He hadn’t expected her to, but that hadn’t stopped him hoping.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Do you like dancing?”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">No, Ed didn’t like dancing. Not anymore. Not now that he’d lost his partner. Did he do the right thing, or should that which was dead have just stayed that way? He’d be struggling with that for a long time to come.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, chapter one of the thing that wasn't supposed to be multichapter is done. The next one will be more centered around Greed and his response to his sibling's condition.</p><p>Songs from the title, incase that matters to you:<br/><em>Yearbook</em> by Hanson<br/><em>September</em> by Chris Daughtry<br/><em>Bright White Jackets</em> by April Smith<br/><em>Birds</em> by Imagine Dragons<br/><em>The Dance</em> by Garth Brooks<br/><em>Say Goodbye</em> by Skillet</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Selfishly Saving Your Memory So I Won't Be Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greed and Ling visit from Xing and stop off to visit Envy...Greed is less than enthused by what he finds waiting for him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was supposed to be more centered around Greed and his thoughts and feelings, but it kind of ended out being a transition from Ed to Greed more than anything else...I'm hoping to manage that a little better wiht the next chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em>The sounds around him were dying down. The yelling had stopped and Ed thought he heard Mustang saying something. To Hawkeye? To himself? To Ed? He didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything anymore. Father could do as he pleased, the whole country could die-hell, the whole </em>
  <b>
    <em>world</em>
  </b>
  <em> could die for all he cared. It was all just emptiness without Envy, anyway. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed!” Greed? Or was it Ling? “Ed?” Greed. He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, what the hell happened?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy.” He murmured quietly, clutching the stone to him as though the closeness would bring the Homunculus back. The grip on his shoulder tightened.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“…Where are they?” Greed asked. He knew the answer already, it was there in his voice. “Ed. Where’s Envy?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“They’re…They’re…” Ed choked, he couldn’t say it. If he said it, he’d have to really and completely acknowledge it, that Envy was gone.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“They’re gone.” Mustang said, voice quiet and devoid of emotion. Ed had expected pride, joy, </em>
  <b>
    <em>something</em>
  </b>
  <em>. But, nothing somehow made the whole situation worse. Envy was gone, Mustang had done it, and he couldn’t even bring himself to emote while admitting it. Did it mean that little in the end? Did he get his revenge and regret it? No, it was too late for that. He’d been manic in his need for Envy to disappear, he didn’t </em>
  <b>
    <em>get</em>
  </b>
  <em> to regret what he’d done, he didn’t get that privilege. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“What did you do?!” He heard Greed yelling, grip on his shoulder gone, Hawkeye gave a surprised cry, the sound of a gun being cocked and a loud thud filled the air. Ed could picture it almost, Greed with the colonel pinned to the wall, Hawkeye aiming her gun at him, the two of them snarling angrily at each other.“What did you do, Mustang?!”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“What they deserved!” He was angry. Good. Anything was better than nothing, regret, or sorrow. Anything. “They’re gone! Dead!”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed only tangentially realized that the scream filling the air was his. He crumpled further, clinging desperately to the small red stone in his hands, letting the sorrow win for the moment, letting the screaming happen, letting the tears flow, letting it all overwhelm him. He heard Greed faintly past the din, he sounded angry, so did Mustang when the two began to argue. Angry noises from two different sources that didn’t even register as words to Ed at this point. They didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. He felt warmth on his back, arms wrapping carefully around him, holding him close.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m sorry, Ed.” The voice was soft, and sincere, and it broke through the haze. “I’m so sorry.” Hawkeye repeated. She sounded choked up. There was no way she was really sorry…Was there? What reason would she have? “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>He looked over his shoulder at her. Her eyes were shining with tears, her expression genuinely sad. She was serious. She really meant it. She’d genuinely wanted to save Envy…He clung to her, letting the grief out in sobs and gasps and desperate cries and pleas for someone to bring Envy back, even if only for a moment as the stone crumbled in his hand. He didn’t care how pathetic he looked, didn’t give so much as a single solitary hair on a rat’s ass about what the others thought, he just let himself break down. She held him, and he could tell she was crying too. It brought him some comfort, knowing he wasn’t the only one hurting somehow from the loss. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed,” Greed said, kneeling down in front of him, voice tight, expression guarded. “We need to keep moving.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Fuck it.” Ed muttered between gasps for a proper breath. “Let it burn, Greed. Let the whole fucking world burn.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Greed was silent after that, until he noticed Ed clutching something to himself.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed…what’s that?” He asked…was there hope in his voice? Ed looked at him.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy’s Core.” He said, swallowing back more sobs. “It’s…all that’s left.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Their Core?” That </em>
  <b>
    <em>was</em>
  </b>
  <em> hope. Ed hesitated, but eventually nodded as Hawkeye wiped at her eyes. “Where’s that Xingese girl?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">“What do you mean no visitors today?” Ed asked. Havoc shrugged.</p>
<p class="p1">“Higher ups’ orders, Ed.” He said. “Some foreign official’s coming to check out the facility and the orders were only they and the General are allowed on the premises.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Foreign official?” Ed asked.</p>
<p class="p1">“Someone from Xing, according to Lucy.” Havoc said. Ed sighed.</p>
<p class="p1">“Another intern?” He asked.</p>
<p class="p1">“Nope. Receptionist.” Havoc said. “She’s so cute and sweet! We’re going to get dinner later at-“</p>
<p class="p1">“Havoc, focus please.” Ed interrupted. Havoc chuckled nervously.</p>
<p class="p1">“Right, sorry. She says someone from Xing is coming to visit and Mustang’s the only other non-personnel visitor allowed on the grounds or in the building, since he’s technically in command of the place.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Someone from Xing coming here?” Ed had a good idea who it was and the grin on his face must have conveyed that somehow.</p>
<p class="p1">“You think it’s your buddy?”</p>
<p class="p1">“You mean the emperor?” Ed asked. “Yeah…and buddies, technically.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Huh?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Nothing. Mind if I stick around and see if it is before I head out? It’ll be nice to say hi if it turns out it is Ling.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Well, you’re still a State Alchemist, so I don’t see why we can’t lump you in with ‘personnel’ and say Mustang ok-ed it if ever we’re asked.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Great.” Ed said.</p>
<p class="p1">“Edward.” Marcoh greeted as he made his appearance from the direction of the elevator.</p>
<p class="p1">“Morning, Doctor Marcoh.” Ed said. “I hear we’re having a visitor today.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Yes, the Emperor of Xing will be gracing us with his presence.” Marcoh said. “It’s been a while.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Yeah.” Ed agreed. “When’s he get here?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Any minute now.” Havoc said, checking his watch.</p>
<p class="p1">“Great.” Ed said. Sure enough, a few minutes later, a fuss was kicked up as someone arrived. Ed leaned against the desk Havoc was seated at, watching higher ups and officials kowtowing to whoever was getting out of the car that had just pulled up outside through the windows by the door.</p>
<p class="p1">“It’s good to see you again, Edward Elric.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Holy f-Hi, Lan Fan.” Ed said, clutching his chest as the young woman watched him coax his heart rate back down to an acceptable pace. “How have you been?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Quite well.” Lan Fan said with a small smile as the doors opened and the glob of importance squeezed its way in. “His Excellency has been looking forward to the trip.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Which ‘His Excellency’?” Ed asked.</p>
<p class="p1">“Both, actually.” Came a familiar voice from in front of Ed. Ed grinned at his friend.</p>
<p class="p1">“Ling…Oh, I mean Emperor Yao.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Please, Ling’ll do. Formalities should never matter between friends that save countries together.” Ling said, patting Ed on the shoulder. “How are you, my friend?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Getting along.” Ed said with a shrug. “The last few months have been kind of like one, big, long, weird dream.”</p>
<p class="p1">“And how’s my dear younger sibling doing?” Greed asked, apparently not shy about taking over when there were other people around. Ed’s grin faded, good humor quickly dissipating. Greed frowned. “Ed?”</p>
<p class="p1">“You, uh…You need to see that for yourself.” The blonde said. “Nice seeing you.” He started walking away.</p>
<p class="p1">“You won’t be visiting them today?” Marcoh asked. Ed shook his head.</p>
<p class="p1">“Orders from on high, apparently.” He said. He hadn’t missed the looks he’d been getting from the escorts and officials that had accompanied Ling and Greed. They’d wanted him gone the second they saw him there.</p>
<p class="p1">“Nonsense!” Ling said, in charge again. “I wouldn’t dream of tossing a dear friend out like that! Please, stay. I’d be honored.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Well,” Ed said, getting some much needed amusement from the looks on the officials’ faces now, “if it’s a request from an emperor, I probably shouldn’t refuse.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Come, my friend, let’s catch up.” Ling said, waving Ed back over. “Thank you, that’ll be all.” He said to the officials, who looked…perplexed.</p>
<p class="p1">“Your Excellency, I apologize, but…what?” One of them asked.</p>
<p class="p1">“Oh, you’re excused. I don’t require your assistance any longer.” Ling explained. “I trust Edward and Doctor Marcoh can handle walking around a building without getting lost well enough…Well, Doctor Marcoh at any rate.” Ed shot him a glare but said nothing in front of the people that outranked him. “On your way.” He said, shooing the group along. It took a while longer, but finally, with the arrival of General Roy Mustang, they agreed to the dismissal.</p>
<p class="p1">“Guess they don’t trust you.” Ling said to Ed as the officials left.</p>
<p class="p1">“Eh, I probably wouldn’t either, to be fair.” Ed said with a shrug. “Unfortunately, I can’t sock you in the face for that shot at my navigational abilities anymore.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Fullmetal, you have the sense of direction of a wounded bumblebee, everyone knows it.” Mustang said.</p>
<p class="p1">“I can still hit <em>you</em> just fine, General.” Ed warned the older man, who only chuckled, then looked at Marcoh.</p>
<p class="p1">“On with the private tour then.” He said. Marcoh nodded, turning back towards the elevator.</p>
<p class="p1">“What did you mean when you said I’ll have to see for myself?” Greed asked as he, Ed, Mustang, and Lan Fan followed the old doctor. “Did something happen?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Look, you’ll see in a minute. Just…you’re probably not going to like this.” Ed said as they entered the elevator and Doctor Marcoh pushed the B button. He really didn’t feel like explaining it and had no idea how to even begin.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t understand.” Mei confessed as she looked at the crumbling stone in Ed’s hands. “You want me to…heal this rock?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s not a rock.” Greed said. “It’s the Core of a Homunculus.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“What? Mei asked, shocked.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s Envy. Please,” Ed begged, “Mei, it’s not just a normal rock, please, just…try.” Mei took a small step back, eyes wide. He probably looked a bit of a fright, to be fair, so he couldn’t blame her. Something of his desperation and need must have gotten through, through, because she sighed and drew a pentagram on the ground. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Put it in the centre.” She said, tossing down her knives. “I don’t know how this will go, and I’m sorry if it doesn’t help.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Just try, please.” Ed said. Mei gave a nod, kneeling down and resting her hands on either side of the stone. Ed watched as the pentagram began to glow, sparks jumping to the stone, Mei’s face set in concentration. She stayed that way for a long time with no change. Ed was just about to tell her to stop, to give up, when the stone and its pieces began to quiver. He watched as, slowly, the pieces began to come together. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I need more.” Mei said suddenly.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“More what?” Greed asked.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“This stone needs more lives, there are none left. It needs to be replenished if it’s going to be repaired.” Mei explained. Greedraised his hand, shield forming over it…then dug into his chest, crouching down and exposing the Philosopher’s Stone at his heart.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Tell the little bastard to eat up then.” He said. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Greed, are you-“</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Shut up Ed.” Greed cut him off. “Do it, kid.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Mei looked startled, but complied. The sparks traveling to Greed, connecting the two stones, making the Homunculus cringe and grit his teeth. The glow died down a moment later and a whole stone lay on the ground in the middle of the pentagram as Mei collected her knives. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I did what I could.” She said. “I don’t know what else there is to do for them.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Greed picked up the stone up, looking down at it as it shone brightly, even in the dark of the tunnels. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Come on, you little shit, don’t do this to me.” He muttered. “Don’t you dare fucking do this.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Mei looked worriedly at Ed, who was just as lost as her and just as hopeful as Greed. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Fullmetal,” Mustang said, “it’s gone. That’s just a stone now.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Shut the fuck up!” Greed snarled, glaring over his shoulder, startling the Colonel into backing up a few steps. “The day this is just a stone is the day you’re useful when wet, you bastard.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I didn’t think you liked your siblings.” Ed said quietly, crouching down next to Greed, watching the stone with just as much hope and apprehension.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t…but, Envy’s not quite the same as the rest, now, are they?” He looked at Ed. “They broke free too…They found their own way, their own reason…just like me.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed understood then. Greed had been alone before. Rebelling against his father and siblings, finding meaning elsewhere, finding new companions, a new family. Whether he viewed them as such or not, it left him with people that he cared about…but it still left him alone in a way no one else could fix. Then Envy had defected, they’d done the same thing as him, they’d found meaning in something other than their father and his plans. Envy had followed him in a way, and that had made them dear to him. If Envy disappeared, he would be alone again, he would lose his family all over again. “Don’t you leave me, you pain in the ass. Don’t you fucking dare…”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed watched the stone, jumping a bit when it began to grow, fleshy globs forming and expanding quickly until Greed was using both hands, then his arms, holding a body as it formed. Holding his sibling close while they regrew themselves, motionless, lifeless if not for the fact that regeneration was proof of life for them.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy!” Ed gasped. Mei covered her eyes, Hawkeye turning away when Envy’s body was complete. “Why’re they naked? They always form with clothes.” Ed said.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“They make the clothes.” Greed explained. “They’re part of them…Envy’s here, they’re back, but…if no one’s home, then…”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“But, they </em>
  <b>
    <em>are</em>
  </b>
  <em> back?” Ed asked. “This means they’re not dead?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah. Yeah, they’re back…They just…need to wake up still.” Greed said. “The fact that they have a body is proof we brought them back.” He looked at Ed. “Now, we just need to keep them away from Father.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Why?” Mei asked, peeking at Greed. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Because I have no idea what that bastard will do to them in the state they’re in.” Greed said. “They’re an easy target. He could flat out destroy them, or things I haven’t even thought of yet. He has control over us to a degree you can’t imagine.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Get them out of here then.” Hawkeye said as she approached the trio.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Lieutenant!” Mustang sounded shocked and a little betrayed. Ed would never be ashamed of how good that made him feel, he was sure of it. He looked at Hawkeye as she took off her coat, crouching down in front of Greed and helping him put it on Envy, buttoning it up to save them some dignity. “We’ll keep going,” She said, “but they should be your top priority right now.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Lieutenant, that’s enough-“</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Save your family.” Hawkeye said, as though she knew that would shut her superior up, which it did rather nicely.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed, are you ok to keep going if I do this?” Greed asked. Ed nodded.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I’ve got this. Get them out of here.” He said. They stood up, Hawkeye returning to Mustang and engaging in a muted argument that Ed had a feeling she was going to win. “The sooner Father’s gone, the sooner we can wake them up.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Greed nodded.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Fuck him up, Ed.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I plan to.” Ed looked down at Envy, held bridal style in Greed’s arms. He reached out, gently cupping the Homunculus’s cheek, a small smile on his face as relief finally washed over him like a tsunami. “I’ll put an end to this…you keep them safe.” He blinked back tears, turning away quickly. “We should get moving.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah…Good luck.” Greed said. The pair took off in opposite directions, both with a renewed sense of hope and reason to fight.</em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Greed stared in wide eyed, silent shock at Envy, who sat at the glass, looking out at him with those vacuous eyes, head tilted, mouth a small confused ‘o’ as they looked at their sibling, completely unaware of who or what he was.</p>
<p class="p1">“I warned you.” Ed said quietly as Envy’s gown slipped down off one shoulder and they made no move to correct it.</p>
<p class="p1">“What happened?” Greed asked, unable to look away from Envy. “What’s wrong with them? What…”</p>
<p class="p1">“<em>We</em> happened.” Ed said as Envy tilted their head slowly the other way, lips pursing as they watched their observers. “They woke up like this.”</p>
<p class="p1">“They don’t remember anything at all? Nothing? It’s just…”</p>
<p class="p1">“They’re a blank slate.” Ed said. “Their memory now is shoddy at best.”</p>
<p class="p1">Envy focused on him, a small smile crossing their face as they reached out and pressed their palm flat to the glass. Ed returned the smile, reaching out towards them. He was still nowhere near close enough to touch the glass, but the action itself always seemed to be enough to make Envy happy, which served to cheer Ed up some.</p>
<p class="p1">“No one told me they’d woken up like this…” Mustang murmured. Even he seemed shaken by Envy’s condition. “This is…”</p>
<p class="p1">“Your fault too.” Greed said, giving Mustang a rather nasty side-glare. The General returned it.</p>
<p class="p1">“You and Fullmetal were the ones that wanted to bring that thing back from the grave.” He said defensively.</p>
<p class="p1">“They wouldn’t have been dead in the first place if you hadn’t gone insane!” Greed snapped. “<em>You</em> killed them!”</p>
<p class="p1">“And you changed them from a fucking radge into a soulless doll!” Mustang pointed out. “You couldn’t just let them go!”</p>
<p class="p1">“Says the man that only killed them because he couldn’t let go of his need for a revenge killing!” Greed shot back.</p>
<p class="p1">“That’s enough, both of you.” Marcoh said firmly as he stepped between them. “This isn’t helpful and it will only do more damage than good.” He looked back towards the glass, Envy was up on their knees, both hands against the glass, looking concerned and a little unsettled. Mustang turned away from the doctor and Greed lowered his gaze, fists clenched as the pair tried to rein themselves in. Marcoh returned to the console to reassure Envy and Ed stood aside, doing his best to keep Mustang’s words from sinking in completely.</p>
<p class="p1">“Can we go in, Doctor Marcoh?” He asked finally, once Envy was soothed and seated on the floor again.</p>
<p class="p1">“Yes, but, Greed,” Marcoh said as he turned to face the Homunculus, “you’ll need to be calm, and restrained with them.”</p>
<p class="p1">“I can…do my best.” Greed said, eyes back on his sibling. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Alright.” Marcoh said, leading the way to the door. Ed could tell he was still unsure of letting Greed in, but he respected the Homunculus’s wishes all the same. “I believe it would be best for you to remain as yourself the entire time.” He said as the long process of entering Envy’s room began. “I think switching between yourself and Emperor Yao would only do more harm than good at this point. They have enough trouble remembering people as it is, trying to remember that one person is two would be too much.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Got it…” Greed assured the doctor, tone distracted. That quiet, loopy little thing couldn’t possibly be Envy…not the Envy he knew anyway. The Envy he knew was self-assured, snarky, opinionated…at least, the one he remembered was.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“So, I admit, I’m curious…Why are</em>
  <b>
    <em> you</em>
  </b>
  <em> the one Father chose to look after prisoners?” Greed asked as he walked with Envy towards Doctor Marcoh’s cell. “You’re…well…awful.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Thanks for that.” Envy said flatly. “Because I was next after Lust when it came to most capable of doing so.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Wow, that’s not saying much for the others, is it?” Greed muttered, grinning in amusement at the glare he was receiving. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Not saying much for you that he didn’t decide to switch our jobs then either, is it?” Envy asked. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Hey, no turning my insult back around on me. That’s bullshit.” Greed said. Envy cackled briefly before sobering up when they reached the doctor’s door. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“There’s a lot about our situation that’s bullshit…It’s just…hard to see without someone else pointing it out.” They said, reaching for the handle of the door.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“…Marcoh point it out to you?” Greed asked. Envy barked out a laugh.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“God, no Marcoh’s too cowardly to speak up against us. No, someone far braver than that old coot opened my eyes.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Who?” Greed asked. Envy faltered for a moment. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Someone much braver than I’ll ever be.” They said, turning the handle to enter Marcoh’s room.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Gonna throw my vote in for whoever you’re fucking.” Greed said. Envy dropped the tray they’d been holding, letting go of the handle and turning towards their sibling, red in the face.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“What the hell is </em>
  <b>
    <em>wrong</em>
  </b>
  <em> with you?!” They cried. “Whoever I’m-who says I’m fucking anyone?!”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“So you’re </em>
  <b>
    <em>getting fucked </em>
  </b>
  <em>instead?” Greed asked. “Don’t deny it, you leave for a short period of time, then come back and act like nothing ever happened, even though it’s easy to smell on you. I’m surprised Gluttony didn’t call you out sooner.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Gluttony’s a developmentally delayed puppy in the body of a functionally immortal weapon of mass consumption.” Envy said flatly. “I told him I got a pet that I had to leave to play with because Father wouldn’t let me keep it here and he bought it.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Wow, really?” Greed asked looking surprised. Envy nodded.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yup. All I had to do was tell him it needed to stay ‘our little secret’ and he clammed right up. Fooling him’s easier than breathing, especially now that Lust’s gone.” They said. “She was the only one that’d reliably tell him if he was being tricked.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Wow, kinda sad I missed her.”Greed said. Envy deflated a bit.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“She was impressive, all things considered…and the only tolerable one of the lot of you all.” They said. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You miss her.” Greed observed. Envy nodded.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Not that it matters, but, yeah. Yeah, I do.” They said. “Can’t say I’m especially close with anyone around here, but she made good company…Now it’s just Father, Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, and you around here.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Hey, am I not exciting enough for you?”Greed asked, a little insulted that he was thought of as boring.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Not really, no.” Envy said easily. “Why? Do you think you should be?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re a damn snot.” Greed snapped. Envy shrugged.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m the middle child.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“What’s that have to do with anything?” Greed asked. Envy shrugged again.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“No idea, but apparently it explains a majority of my character defects.” They paused for a moment before adding.“</em>
  <b>
    <em>Perceived</em>
  </b>
  <em> character defects.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, there’s no ‘perceived’ about it, you’ve definitely got a defect or two, and I don’t think they stop at your character.” Greed said, dodging the blow Envy threw at them. “Seriously, though, if you’re going to see someone Father doesn’t want you to, you’re asking for trouble.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“This is going to sound really stupid and sentimental and I swear I’ll fucking crush you if you make fun of it, but…it’s worth it.” Envy said. “I’m not going to betray Father, but…but there’s no way I’m giving up on </em>
  <b>
    <em>him</em>
  </b>
  <em> either.” They turned away from Greed, starting to walk away. “He’s worth all the trouble I’ll be in if I get found out, and nothing’ll be able to convince me otherwise.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Wow, you were right, that </em>
  <b>
    <em>was</em>
  </b>
  <em> really stupid and sentimental.” Greed said. “Where the hell are you going?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“To get the good doctor a new plate of food.” Envy said. “Dunno of you noticed, but you made me drop it.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I made y-I didn’t make you do shit!”Greed snapped, hurrying after his sibling. “So, you’re perfectly content withdoing what you please, even though Father could remake you if he finds out you’re going behind his back?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah, pretty much.” They glanced at Greed as the pair walked. “You were too. Before he remade you, that is.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Huh?” Greed raised an eyebrow, eyeing his sibling cautiously.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Why do you think you were remade?” Envy asked. “You left us, stopped following Father’s orders, started acting more like your usual ‘me before the world’ self and you might have gone out like a boss but you didn’t hear that from me.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Gone out like a boss?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s a…thing humans say.” Envy said. “I spend most of my time around them, so I pick up their slang. It’s a curse. Weak little things that they are…Anyway, it means you met an absolutely amazing end that few will ever be able to top.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Cool. Go me.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah, sure, go you.” Envy agreed sarcastically. “I’m going to go get Marcoh some more food, you do whatever.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Greed came to a stop as Envy turned down a side tunnel.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy,” He spoke up, his sibling stopping and turning to look at him. “Why’d you tell me about your little reoccurring tryst? I could tell Father, he’d remake you, maybe even have the guy you’re bending over for killed.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“He wouldn’t.” Envy said. “Either of those things. He still needs my paramour, and, thus, he still needs me how I am…because he’ll notice if anything changes about me. He’s too bright not to, andthat has a good chance at affecting the plan. Switching me out for a different model will only complicate matters all the more, anger doesn’t treat him well and ruining him ruins the plan.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Doesn’t mean he can’t punish you somehow.” Greed said. Envy smirked.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“We’ll see about that.” They said with a wink. “And I told you because I know you won’t say anything. You wouldn’t have before.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m not that Greed anymore.” Greed pointed out. Envy laughed.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes, you are.” They said before walking away. “No matter how many times he remakes us, we’re still us deep down. I’m absolutely certain of it. You’ll see.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The doors opened and Envy turned to look at them, still sitting on the floor by the glass. They smiled wider, standing up unsteadily, wandering over to their visitors, stopping and bowing respectfully, smile broadening when Marcoh patted them on the head gently and praised them.</p>
<p class="p1">“Envy,” Marcoh said, gesturing to Greed, “This is a friend of Edward’s. His name is Greed.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Hi there, Envy.” Greed greeted as calmly as he could. It was obvious that it was difficult for him, seeing Envy standing there, swaying occasionally, eyes void of the life they’d once held as they focused on him with that dreamy little smile on their face.</p>
<p class="p1">“It’s…nice to meet you.” Envy greeted with a smile.</p>
<p class="p1">“Yeah, uh…” Greed looked away for a moment, clearing his throat before finally looking at Envy again, managing to keep the smile on his face. “It’s, um, nice to meet you too.”</p>
<p class="p1">Envy beamed, apparently delighted that they were worth meeting. Ed spoke up after it was clear Greed wasn’t going to any further.</p>
<p class="p1">“How are you doing today, Envy?” He asked. Envy looked at him.</p>
<p class="p1">“Good. Doctor Marcoh taught me…” They paused for a moment, making motions with their hands that Ed recognised, but a quick glance at Marcoh told him to stay quiet and let Envy figure it out for themselves. After a moment of watching their own hands, they figured it out, “cat’s cradle. Doctor Marcoh taught me cat’s cradle.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Really?” Ed asked, Envy nodded. “I was never very good at that. Can you show us?”</p>
<p class="p1">Envy nodded, turning to Doctor Marcoh, who was already pulling a loop of string out of his coat pocket. They watched Envy and Marcoh play cat’s cradle for a bit, until the Homunculus began to stumble and get confused.</p>
<p class="p1">“That’s enough for now, Envy.” Marcoh said gently, putting the string away. “You did very well.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Alright.” Envy said, proud of themselves and discouraged by their fumbles at the same time. “Where’s Winry?”</p>
<p class="p1">“She’s busy today.” Ed said. “She promised to come visit tomorrow, though.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Oh. Ok.” Envy said. “Will…she bring more…pie? It was tasty.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Maybe.” Ed said. “If she wants to bake another one.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Oh…Alright.” Envy said, smile never faltering even though they sounded slightly discouraged. Ed reached out, tucking some of their hair behind their ear, hand lingering there for a moment or so longer than he’d meant for it to. Envy, however, didn’t seem to notice anything off and simply smiled at Ed. They noticed Greed looking at them and gave him a smile, reminiscent of the Envy he knew, but still a cheap imitation in his mind. He turned away, he couldn’t handle it anymore, couldn’t stand seeing Envy the way they were. There was silence for a long moment after that. Envy, smile gone, was the one to finally break it. “Did…I do something…” they paused, stumbling for a moment, “…not…not right?”</p>
<p class="p1">“No, Envy,” Marcoh assured them, “you didn’t do anything wrong. Greed’s just…”</p>
<p class="p1">“I just…don’t feel good.” Greed said quickly. “It’s not you.”</p>
<p class="p1">He turned back to them finally, giving them a smile he desperately hoped was reassuring, feeling a pang of despair as that vapid smile reappeared.</p>
<p class="p1">“Good. I was…worried.” They said. Greed reached out, ruffling their hair a bit, making them giggle. It tookeverything he had to not physically pull back. Envy would never have found anything amusing about anyone touching their hair. Their appearance was almost everything to them and they’d literally taken his hand off before for messing up their hair. This version of them, though…their gown was slipping down off their shoulder again and they did nothing to correct it, they stood with no grace or poise, swaying gently occasionally, let him mess up their hair, and didn’t have a single complaint about any of it. This thing he was looking at, touching, talking to…this wasn’t Envy. This was a punishment, for letting desperation and his own selfishness and needs get in the way of what was best for his sibling. This was a deep, gaping wound to his heart that wouldn’t heal. Even if Envy recovered their memories, the image of those empty eyes and that airy smile would stick with him far longer than the image of their crumbling Core or lifeless body.</p>
<p class="p1">“I, um…should probably go.” He said. “Ling’s got…places to be still.” He looked at Ed. “Political bullshit and all that.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Right, political bullshit.” Ed said with a nod. Envy looked confused as Greed’s arm dropped back down at his side limply.</p>
<p class="p1">“What’s that mean?” They asked.</p>
<p class="p1">“Oh, it just means it’s important.” Ed said. “I’ll come back later, alright?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Oh, alright.” Envy said, looking disappointed. Ed gave them a smile, which they returned. “Can I have…another snack?” They asked.</p>
<p class="p1">“Sure…I’ll bring you something really yummy. How’s that sound?” Ed asked.Envy’s smile broadened.</p>
<p class="p1">“Good.” They said happily.</p>
<p class="p1">“Alright, see you later.” Ed said.</p>
<p class="p1">“Ok.” Envy said, “Thank you…for visiting me. It was…nice to see you.”</p>
<p class="p1">Ed led Greed towards the door as Marcoh praised Envy for remembering to say goodbye properly.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“What do you mean they won’t wake up?” Ed asked, Greed glared.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Exactly what it sounds like.” He said. “I’ve been trying, they aren’t waking up.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy,” Ed knelt down next to the unconscious Homunculus, gathering them up into his arms, “wake up, please. It’s safe now. It’s over. Envy?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Greed watched Ed’s decent into panic silently. Envy lay there limp and lifeless in the alchemist’s arms and there was something increasingly unnerving about seeing someone that had just defeated an entity with the powers of God on the verge of tears the way Ed was. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed,” Al spoke up after a while, “it’s possible they just…need to rest longer.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah.” Ed said quietly, nodding along with that idea. “Yeah, that must be it. They’re back, they’re…they’re alive, they just…they’ll be fine.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah, fine.” Al agreed, exchanging concerned glances with the rest of his allies.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Edward,” Hohenheim spoke up, kneeling across from his oldest son, “let me see them.” Ed held Envy close, clearly not entirely trusting anyone but Greed with the unconscious Homunculusatthis point. “I want to help. I won’t hurt them, I promise.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed, at least…let him try?” Hawkeye suggested. Ed looked from his father to Envy then back again, gaze finally stopping on Envy.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“…You love them,” Hohenheim said, “that’s painfully obvious. Please, let me try to help them.” Ed hesitated for a long time before finally giving in, letting his father take the damaged creature from him. All eyes, apart from Roy’s, were on Hohenheim as he touched his fingers to the points of the triangle on Envy’s forehead. He sat for a moment, nothing happening, no one speaking, no one moving, everyone simply watching and waiting…except Roy, who was really only waiting. “They’re alive, like Greed said, but…their body’s weak, and their consciousness is almost non-existent.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Their…” Ed trailed off and Greed picked up where he’d left off.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Consciousness?” He asked. Hohenheim nodded. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy’s body is alive. Weakened considerably, but alive all the same…their mind, on the other hand, is another story.” He said. Ed stared wide eyed.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Then that means they’re…not going to wake up?” He asked, voice wavering, hands clenched into fists. Hohenheim looked away from his son.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m afraid that’s the most likely scenario here.” He said. “And, without a mind, without consciousness and personality and awareness, I doubt their body will last with how weakened it is.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Wait,” Greed crouched down next to Ed, eyes on Hohenheim, “what do you mean their body won’t last? We gave their Core lives, we fixed it. Their body should be fine.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You were made to house his sins,”Hohenheim said, “You’re vessels, for all intents and purposes. A very unique kind of vessel, but a vessel nonetheless.” He looked down at Envy. “You’re vessels that require contents to exist. Without that, you’ll die.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed’s eyes were wide and he’d begun trembling, pupils contracted to pinpricks, expression both distant and full of terror at the same time, as though some horrible memory from the deep had clawed its way to the surface upon hearing his father’s words. A brief, questioning glance in Al’s direction showed he had a virtually identical expression on his face. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Mom…” Al murmured, so close to being inaudible, and loud enough to set Ed off.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“That’s not…They can’t…they can’t just…They </em>
  <b>
    <em>can’t</em>
  </b>
  <em>!” He cried. “They can’t die! Not again…Not again, not…not them too…”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Greed was quiet, mind working hard. There had to be a way. He hadn’t given up over half of his lives to bring Envy back solely to watch them die anyway. No, this wasn’t going to be Envy’s fate. He refused to allow that. His sibling deserved better. There had to be a way, something that they could do to-</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <b>
    <em>“Why the hell would you need something like that?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <b>
    <em>“It’s simple, my child. Because they are not allowed to die.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>His mind harkened back to a conversation he’d had with his father while in his previous incarnation, something very few had known about, something that could help…something he desperately didn’t want to have to use. Ed had taken Envy back from his father and looked seconds away from taking on the fetal position, Envy held close to him, empty and lifeless. Greed couldn’t take it. He couldn’t handle seeing them that way. Envy wasn’t meant to be so still. They were meant to be in motion, smirking and mocking and making one smart remark after another as they got on his every last nerve while still being a surprisingly constant source of conversation and, at times, companionship and support. Envy deserved to live.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed,” He said, getting the blonde’s attention, “there is something we can try…but it’s…not ideal.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">“How did it go?” Lan Fan asked when the trio emerged into the lab.</p>
<p class="p1">“Damn it all!” Greed hissed, turning away from the window so Envy couldn’t see how upset he was. He knew they were watching, there was nothing else for them to do. It was probably why the window remained closed unless someone came to visit, no one wanted to be watched constantly like that. They were fine with watching, but being watched was always a different story. He clenched his fists tightly, trying to calm himself. “We fucked up. We fucked up so bad.”</p>
<p class="p1">“We didn’t know at the time.” Ed said, though Greed could tell he didn’t really buy his own excuse. “We had no idea this is what would happen to them.”</p>
<p class="p1">“We took a chance we shouldn’t have and <em>look what we did to them</em>.” Greed hissed, gesturing behind him at the window. “Look at them!”</p>
<p class="p1">“I know!” Ed snapped, startling Greed. “I’ve been here every day so far since we first hooked them up. Every day they were unconscious, I spent fucking hours here, talking to them, sitting with them, hoping, and praying they’d wake up, and I don’t even have a god to pray to!” He knew everyone was staring by now, they both did, but it didn’t seem to bother the alchemist. “I was here every day after they woke up, with no idea who anyone was, who they were, what had happened, what they were, what <em>we’d been</em>…I’ve spent this whole time here, watching the person I love stumble their way through saying hello to me, their new friend, while you’ve been in Xing, thousands of miles away, with no clue what we did to them!” The pair exchanged heated glares for a moment before separating and taking a few steps away form each other.</p>
<p class="p1">“Is there any chance of them recovering their memories?” Greed asked finally.</p>
<p class="p1">“I’m not sure.” Marcoh said. “I’ve been approaching this under the opinion that it’s best to accept what we have and gage as we go.”</p>
<p class="p1">“So, we could have done all this…only for them to be stuck that way?” He looked at the window finally, finding Envy standing in the center of the room, several people with them as the tube enclosure rose around them. He looked away. “Damn it, we’re no better Father was…”</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re saying your father created someplace to…’restart’ a Homunculus?” Izumi asked later when they were in the private wing of the local military hospital, Envy laid out in bed with Ed and Greed by their side, Lan Fan staying close to Greed and Mei seated at the end of Al’s bed as the younger Elric was given a thorough once over by a doctor. Greed sighed.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Not completely, no.” He said. “We were made to house his sins, as everyone knows by now…but there were…specifics about each of us in relation to him, there was a system to things, and a reason behind the order we were made in.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“A reason?” Hohenheim asked from his spot by Al’s bedside.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah, a reason.” Greed said. “He made Pride first, because he thought that was his biggest drawback in his search for perfection.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“He wasn’t entirely wrong…” Hohenheim muttered.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, no, I agree there. He was an egotistical fuck.” Greed said, “And he was pissed when separating from his pride didn’t get him what he wanted.” He leaned back against the wall behind him, arms folded over his chest. “He made Lust next, believing that was his actual problem. A lust for knowledge, for power and perfection and </em>
  <b>
    <em>more</em>
  </b>
  <em>…but meting out his lust didn’t help either. He got closer with me…and it made him realize what he really wanted gone.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“His envy.” Hawkeye said from her spot by the door, having walked in to check on the Elrics and never really leaving when they conversation of what to do with Envy had started up. She seemed to have a genuine interest in their well-being and it was a bit surprising to most due to her closeness to the man that had killed them in the first place, but no one made a move to shoo her out. “Greed and envy go hand in hand.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“They do, yeah. Might be why we never got along overly well, actually…Until we both left Father behind, that is.” Greed said. There’s a reason Envy was jealous of human companionship…it’s what Father was jealous of. He hated that fact. He saw himself as better, and yet you humans could manage something so easily that he couldn’t no matter how hard he tried. You had something he didn’t and never would…you had family and friends. He made Envy to purge what was really his most grievous sin, in his opinion…and he didn’t want them back, not even for a second. The rest of us, he would take back into himself if he had to, but not Envy. Envy, he went to great lengths to make sure he would never have to reunite with. If they ever got to the point where he couldn’t use them anymore for whatever reason, they were to be detained, not remade.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Detained?” Ed asked. Greed nodded. “The facility he made was supposed to be used to sustain a Homunculus, to make sure it stayed alive and well when it couldn’t on its own anymore for whatever reason.” He looked down at his sibling, still so frighteningly still and silent. “It took most of Envy’s life for him to complete the place, and only Lust, Pride, me, and whoever he’d chosen to house his Wrath and be Führer knew about it. Gluttony and Sloth couldn’t be trusted to not give it away somehow, Envy might not have been the most perceptive and skilled in certain areas, but they were more than capable of picking out lies, slip ups, and diversions.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Not even the upper echelon of the military were privy to it?” Al asked, surprised. “I thought they were necessary for the plan to succeed, wouldn’t it be advantageous keeping everyone on the same page?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Not where Envy’s concerned.” Greed said. “Envy’s only job was to mingle with you humans, to learn you, to manipulate you and use you however they wanted or needed to, and they were fucking amazing at it. They’d have caught on to a secret being kept and they’d have gotten it out of one of those idiots in seconds.” He paused for a few seconds before adding, “Not to mention you’re not great at keeping your mouths shut all on your own. Someone would have slipped up and spilled the whole thing eventually whether Envy caught on and sweet-talked it out of them or not.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“…I really wish I could argue with that assessment of my species, but I can’t.” Al said, clearly disappointed by thatfact.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You didn’t warn them?” Ed asked. “You didn’t tell them that your father made someplace to keep them prisoner if they made the wrong moves?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“No, of course I didn’t.” Greed said, looking down at Ed, who was starting to get riled again. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Why?!” Ed stood up, glaring harshly at the Homunculus.“They deserved to know!”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You know Envy well enough by now to know they would have either laughed in my face or blown up over it.” Greed said defensively, glaring down the alchemist. “Father would have remade me and locked them up. You never would have met them, they never would have broken free from Father, and they would have lived for the rest of fucking eternity knowing that, not only were they made to never experience satisfaction and joy and completion and acceptance and love and real happiness, they weren’t even </em>
  <b>
    <em>wanted</em>
  </b>
  <em>. By anyone apart from someone they would never even meet.” Ed sat back down slowly, eyes downcast, expression pained. “I kept quiet because it was what was best for everyone involved. Even back then, I didn’t think Envy deserved what Father had planned for them…But now it might be the only way to help them.” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t like it…” Ed said, looking down at Envy. “Bringing them to that place, it’s…too much like imprisoning them.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s exactly like imprisoning them.” Izumi said. “You’re putting them in a space they’re not meant to leave for an unspecified amount of time without their consent. That’s imprisonment’s textbook definition.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“If I knew another way to save them, I’d suggest it.” Greed said. “I don’t like the idea of bringing them to that place in the least…but, if it could help…” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed was silent for a long time, weighing things. It wasn’t a small decision, both possibilities presented their own pros and cons. Envy would be stuck in their prison for an undetermined amount of time and they didn’t have nearly enough knowledge of how the place worked or Envy’s condition to know for certain it wasn’t going to do more damage somehow. On the other hand, Envy wouldn’t survive being left the way they were. They would fade away to nothing and Ed would have to watch another loved one leave his life for good. Greed knew what it was like to lose people he cared about, he knew it was a hard decision. He didn’t want to resort to it, didn’t want to bring Envy to that place and leave them there and hope for the best. He didn’t want to leave their recovery in the hands of people that didn’t actually care about them…He didn’t want to make them a prisoner, reduce them to something he knew they’d despise the second they figured out what was happening. Most of all, he didn’t want his father to win, and going to that place, using it, leaving Envy there, felt far too similar to losing to Greed. He knew Ed felt the same, he could see it there in the blonde’s eyes as he sat, fists clenched, jaw set, eyes never leaving Envy. Ed didn’t want to admit defeat either, he didn’t want to rely on a tangled mess of unknowns to save someone he loved…He’d done that once already in his brief lifetime, and it had caused more pain than it had alleviated and lead to more suffering for him. The problem with their current situation was no one knew how long they had to decide before it was too late to make a difference.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Dad,” Ed said finally, “you said their consciousness was </em>
  <b>
    <em>virtually</em>
  </b>
  <em> nonexistent…Does that mean they’re still there? There’s still…</em>
  <b>
    <em>something</em>
  </b>
  <em> inside them?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes.” Hohenheim said. “The healing of their Core must have saved some piece of them, just…”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Just not enough to make a difference in the long run.” Greed finished for him. He nodded. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Do you think,” Mei spoke up, the look on her face saying she had a good idea of where Ed was going with his question, “it’s possible for their consciousness to recover over time?” </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“I couldn’t say.” Hohenheim said. “It’s possible, I suppose.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Then, they could come back?” Ed asked, no one missed the desperation in his voice, and everyone knew how problematic it could be when Edward Elric got desperate.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“They could, Isuppose.” Hohenheim said hesitantly. “Or, they could stay how they are indefinitely. There’s no way to tell, Ed.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“But, there is a chance…” Ed murmured.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Edward,” Izumi said, tone serious, expression bordering on grim, “remember what got you here. Don’t let desperation overshadow reason again.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed looked troubled, as though somehow he hadn’t expected her to bring that up. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Can you…” He looked at his father, “can you check again?”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Edward-“</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“</em>
  <b>
    <em>Please</em>
  </b>
  <em>, dad.” Ed pleaded, hanging onto Envy’s hand as though it was keeping him grounded. “Please, just…check their consciousness once more. Maybe it’s…coming back on its own…Maybe we don’t need to make the choice at all.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Hohenheim sighed, standing up and making his way over to Envy’s bed, bending over them and touching his fingers to their forehead again. </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“…There’s no change.”He said after a moment. “I’m sorry, Ed.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ed looked down at Envy as Hohenheim stepped back, sitting in silence for a long time. The internal conflict he was having was clear in his eyes as he looked down at Envy, clinging to their hand, chewing on his bottom lip.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“Let’s do it.” He said finally, tone firm, expression defeated. He didn’t want to, didn’t want to rely on something Father had set up solely because he didn’t want Envy, didn’t want them relying on anything he’d made…but his need to save Envy had outweighed that. Greed wasn’t entirely sure if he was glad it had, but at least this way, he wouldn’t be the last. He wouldn’t lose his only family again.</em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">“Are you alright?” Ling asked when he was in the privacy of the alley he’d snuck out of his hotel room to hide in for a bit. Emperor or no, he was still perfectly capable of sneaking out and finding his own way…He just…needed to get back to the hotel before he passed out from hunger.</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“Do I fucking seem alright?”</em> Greed growled. <em>“I’m no better than Father was, remaking them because how they were didn’t suit me!”</em></p>
<p class="p1">“It’s not the same thing,Greed, and you know it.” Ling said. “You did what you did because you care, he did it because he didn’t.”</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“You saw them, I know you did!”</em> Greed snapped. <em>“There’s nothing but air between their ears now and it’s sickening!” </em></p>
<p class="p1">“Greed-“</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“Don’t!”</em> Greed cut him off, <em>“Whatever you’re about to say, don’t! I was selfish, I didn’t want to be alone again, and Envy’s paying for it!”</em></p>
<p class="p1">“To be fair, they don’t know they are.” Ling said. “Hear me out.” He said when he felt Greed’s rage spiking. “Envy might not have any memories of who they were, but they’re not suffering. They seem…” He searched for the right word, feeling Greed’s patience waning, “content, for lack of better term.”</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“They don’t know they’re not supposed to be.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">“That’s my point.” Ling said, pacing a bit. “They’re not as bad off as you think this way.”</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“You met them before this.” </em>Greed said. <em>“You talked to them, you saw them. You think they’re not bad off now? You really think that?! Really?!”</em></p>
<p class="p1">“Greed, calm down. Getting upset isn’t going to help anything, Envy especially.” Ling said firmly. “They have no idea they’ve forgotten anything, no idea the life they’re living isn’t how it’s always been. All you can do for them now is make sure they’re happy…and, if you really care about them at all, that’s what you’ll do.”</p>
<p class="p1">It took a long time, but Greed finally sighed heavily.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re right…damn it, I hate it when you do that.”</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">“Funny, I quite like it.” Ling said, counting it as a win when Greed chuckled.</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“You have a point, this is Envy now…I need to think of them how they are, not how they were.”</em> He said. <em>“Will we have time to visit again tomorrow?”</em></p>
<p class="p1">“We can make time.” Ling said. “I’m the emperor of a nation they’re very keen on opening up favorable trade negotiations with, I’m pretty sure I can weasel another visit to someplace that doesn’t exist out of them…Or, at least, out of Mustang.”</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“Fucker has to be good for something aside from being the but of rainy day jokes.”</em>Greed said. Ling laughed.</p>
<p class="p1">“Yes, but we both know his true calling lies in being the butt of rainy day jokes more so than anything else he does.” He said, Greed snickering. “Let’s get back, I’m feeling famished.”</p>
<p class="p1"><em>“Don’t want you passing out in the middle of the street again.”</em> Greed said. <em>“Emperors should really hold themselves in a slightly higher standing than idiot princes…and there’s really only so much I can do when you crash like that.”</em></p>
<p class="p1">“Yes, yes, I know. Away we go.” Ling said as he left the alley, on his way back to the hotel he was staying at, his guest soothed for the time being…and his stomach growling.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter we'll spend some time with Roy.  No, I  still  don't know when this is going to end...Dear god, it better not be too long...</p>
<p>Songs from the title incase that matters  to you:<br/><em>Save You</em> by Simple Plan<br/><em>Hate Me</em> by Blue October<br/><em>Memories</em> by Within Temptation<br/><em>All or Nothing</em> by O-Town</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Revenge, Regret, And The Emptiness Of The Human Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Roy reminisces, interacts, and takes the chapter in directions I hadn't planned on and will need to adjust my future plans to accommodate because he is a giant bag of dicks that way. I tried to alter the names of people to go with what he normally called them, to make it seem more like it was him centric, barring Hawkeye because i felt weird just writing Lieutenant over and over for some reason, but I don't know if that ended out working as well as I hoped it would or not.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I did a better job at centering the chapter around someone not Ed this time, in that he's not even in most of it...but the problem I have with this chapter is it took me in directions I hadn't planned on. Oh well, I'm good at creative thinking and improve...at least enough so to manage this, I think. Honestly, I may have accepted that I have no idea when this madness will end, but I'm still pissed that it's going on long enough that I need to do as much thinking and rekajiggering as I am.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em>It was funny in a way, how little his rage dissipated the longer he snapped, the more the Homunculus burned, the louder and longer it screamed. He’d thought that the pain would cease for him when it started for Hugh’s murderer. An exchange, his hurt for their satisfaction at a job well done. He would feel better the worse they felt, killing them would kill the suffering…but, now that he had finally found the murderer, now that he was following through with his revenge, he only felt it more the longer the Homunculus burned. The rage only grew the longer it stayed alive. Hawkeye pleaded with him, he could hear her well enough, even past the thrumming in his ears, but he ignored her, continued on. It would stay dead eventually, the hurt would go away then, the anger would fade. All the glee it had felt when killing his dear friend would be his whenever he thought of killing it…Right? That would make it all stop? All it needed to do was die and stay dead, and he would be free. What he hadn’t counted on was Edward Elric. That flash of red and gold coming in from the left caught his attention enough for him to slow, to feel proper shock through the haze when the Fullmetal Alchemist came to the defense of a monster that had killed thousands by now. Not just its defense, he seemed ready to burn with it, holding it tightly to him as though that would be enough to save it from the pain it was in.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Fullmetal move!” He yelled at the boy, who made no move to do so, focus completely and utterly set on the Homunculus. He raised his hand, getting ready to snap again. He could do pinpoint, he could still hit the Homunculus, he could still-</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What are you doing?!” Hawkeye screamed, moving herself in front of him and pushing his arm down. “You’ll burn Ed too!”</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“He’s siding with that thing! He </em> <b> <em>knew</em> </b> <em> what it </em> <b> <em>did</em> </b> <em> and he’s still siding with it! He’s protecting that monster!” Roy yelled. “Get out of the way, Lieutenant!”</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>She stood her ground, too close for him to raise his arm fully, for him to aim right.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No.” She said, clearly decided in her actions. He glared at her.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“That’s an order!” He boomed, trying again to raise his arm, to burn the monster that had murdered his friend.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No!” Hawkeye repeated, louder, more desperate. “You’ll hit Ed and we both know that matters to you!” He stood unmoved. “Burn me too then.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>That had him surprised.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What?” He asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“Burn me with them. Because I won’t move, I won’t let you do something I know you’ll spend the </em> <b> <em>rest of your life</em> </b> <em> regretting! I won’t let you kill them both!” Were those tears in her eyes? “</em> <b> <em>Look at them!</em></b><em>” She gestured back to the pair. Fullmetal was sobbing by now, pleading with the Homunculus not to die, to stay with him. “Look what you </em> <b> <em>did</em></b><em>!”</em></p><p class="p1"><em>“What I did was revenge! What I did was deserved!” Roy argued, but something was bubbling up from deep inside him as he listened to Fullmetal pleading and crying. It wasn’t quite fear and it wasn’t quite guilt, it was a strange amalgamation of the two almost. Something ugly that whispered a stark realization to him, he’d done to Fullmetal what the Homunculus had done to him. He’d killed it plenty of times, he’d gotten his revenge a hundred times over…and it had only made the hurt worse and anger rise. “I did the right thing…I </em> <b> <em>did</em> </b> <em>.” </em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>Hawkeye seemed ready to argue that, but was interrupted by a new arrival.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed!” Greed called as he approached, slowing to a stop a short ways away from the blonde still kneeling on the ground, trembling, clinging to whatever was left of the Homunculus. “Ed?” He approached the rest of the way, crouching down next to the blonde and reaching out, gripping his shoulder. “Hey, what the hell happened?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy.” Fullmetal murmured, so quiet Roy almost hadn’t heard it. He sounded so broken and it only served to make the Colonel feel worse. Greed had stiffened, a look of dread on his face.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“…Where are they?” He asked. He already knew, that much was obvious by his tone of voice…but he still asked. “Ed. Where’sEnvy?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“They’re…They’re…” Fullmetal’s voice failed him, he couldn’t bring himself to say it, couldn’t say out loud that someone he loved so much was gone…Because it was love. Roy had heard the young alchemist’s whispered words to it as it died.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“They’re gone.” He said finally, both to avoid the roar of silence and because it needed to be said. Greed needed to know and Fullmetal needed to accept. They needed to focus on moving on, because if they didn’t, that feeling of not-quite-guilt/not-quite-fear would only grow, and that voice that told him he’d gone too far would only keep talking…and he refused to listen to it. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What did you do?!” Greed yelled, on him in seconds. He winced when he hit the wall, Greed holding him there by the collar of his uniform. Hawkeye gave a startled cry and aimed her gun. “What did you do, Mustang?!”</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“What they deserved!” Roy yelled angrily. It </em> <b> <em>had</em> </b> <em> been deserved. The Homunculus known as Envy had killed in cold blood, had admitted, grudgingly, to enjoying the act. It had gotten what it deserved and that was all. “They’re gone!” He<span class="Apple-converted-space"> r</span>epeated, glaring down the enraged Homunculus. “Dead!”</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>If Greed had anything else to say, it was drown out by Fullmetal’s grief-stricken screaming. The focus turned to the blonde, curled in on himself on his knees on the ground, letting his pain out in agonized screams and rivers of tears.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Damn you to fucking hell, you bastard, they were on your side!” Greed snapped. “Showing up with Ed wasn’t enough of a clue for you?!”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“That monster was a cold blooded murderer and the day I willingly work with a creature like that is-“</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“You’re a veteran of </em> <b> <em>Ishval</em> </b> <em> and you’re really going to get on Envy’s case about killing?!” Greed demanded. “You participated in genocide for no other reason than the big guy with the most shiny bits on his coat said so and you’re really going to call Envy out for doing the same thing?! <strong>They’re</strong> in the wrong for following orders but <strong>you’re</strong> an innocent?!”</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>Following orders…there was that, they’d said it themselves, they did what they were told. </em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“Don’t turn this around on me, I-“ He fell silent when Hawkeye began to move. They both watched as she approached Fullmetal, kneeling down and holding him, talking quietly to him, apologizing, holding him while he let the sorrow and desperation overwhelm him. All those tears, all that blatant abandonment of dignity and honest admission of his feelings…Something Roy himself couldn’t even manage for his dear friend, Fullmetal was showing in spades for a murderous monster. </em> <b> <em>“It’s a terrible day for rain.”</em> </b> <em> He’d said, not “I miss him”, not “I wish he were still alive”, not “I want my friend back” or “I wish I’d been there for him when he needed help”, just an excuse for his tears. Even when he’d spoken to Hugh’s grave, to his late friend, he couldn’t simply say those words, “I miss you”, “I wish it had been me instead”, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you”. Fullmetal, on the other hand, showed his grief plainly. He neither needed nor wanted an excuse apart from he wanted his loved one back. He pleaded with everyone from Hawkeye to a god Roy knew he didn’t even believe in to bring the Homunculus back. Pleaded with it itself to not leave, to come back to him, to forgive him for not being able to save it. Roy watched everything he should have said and done play out in front of him. Watched Edward Elric, the boy that had come back swinging from all the traumas of his past, that had walked away from things that would have made any sound adult crumble while he was still a child, that had stood strong through things that Roy himself questioned his bravery when contemplating, shatter into pieces in Hawkeye’s arms. All that resolve, all that strength, all that courage was gone. Spent completely now that he’d lost the Homunculus. Now that Roy had killed someone he cared so much about…The rage was gone finally. The pain from losing Hughs had dissipated, the hate had vanished…and regret was creeping in. Regret and an unexpected sense of despair. He’d gotten his revenge, and he’d broken the Fullmetal Alchemist in the process.</em></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Roy sat in his apartment, holding a glass of something strong and letting his mind wander back to Envy. The state it was in was…unnerving. He hadn’t known it all that well before it-before he’d killed it, but the snark and pep he’d seen in it before it admitted what it had done to Hughs had been in stark contrast to the wobbly, unfocused thing it had become. Even the amount of emotion it displayed while confessing its sins to him had vastly outshone what it had exhibited earlier. Greed’s response and Fullmetal’s claims proved it all the more, Envy was the most broken fixed thing Roy had seen in a long time. He was almost reminded of some of his fellow soldiers in Ishval during the war. Some of them that couldn’t handle what they’d done, locked themselves up in their own heads, became airy, frail things like Envy. Most never recovered, as far as he was aware. He had noidea what Fullmetal was hoping would happen by keeping it in its little bubble the way he was, but he doubted the desired outcome would be reached. The words ‘blank slate’ had been used, and Roy found it accurate. There truly was nothing left in there. What he’d been surprised by was Marcoh. He knew the man wouldn’t abuse his power if left in charge of Envy. It had been defenseless, completely and utterly, when he’d askedMarcoh to take the position, and, honestly, that hadn’t changed much since it had finally woken it seemed. He’d expected the doctor to do his best, to pour himself into his work…but he’d seen the look on Marcoh’s face when he’d interacted with Envy. The Homunculus had become far more than just work to the old man. That had been real pride and affection, Marcoh was legitimately attached to Envy. Or, at least, what it had become. Hesighed heavily, downing his drink and thinking back on the day Fullmetal had come to him with Greed and Ling, asking for his assistance. He’d known the day would comewhen someone would put him in checkmate…he just…hadn’t thought it would be a fifteen year old boy from a foreign country…He’d been wrong.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><em>“…Let me get this straight,” Roy said as he sat at a desk in his new office, Hawkeye at his side, Fullmetal and the Xingese prince, Ling Yao with his Homunculus cargo, Greed, stood in front of him, both stone faced, “you’re asking me to take charge of a building made to house a broken Homunculus? </em> <b> <em>Envy</em> </b> <em> of all Homunculi it could possibly be?”</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Pretty much.” Ling said with a shrug.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“We need someone we can trust in charge.” Fullmetal said. “Colonel-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“General.” Roy corrected quickly. Fullmetal rolled his eyes, but backtracked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“General, listen, we…Envy’s…too vulnerable the way they are. They’ll die if they’re left alone.” He said. “If they’re going to recover, if that’s possible for them, they need to be in that place…and, as much as I hate to say it, the military taking charge of the building is…our best bet to make sure nothing goes awry.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Then bring it up with the research devision.” Roy said. “I don’t give a damn what happens to that thing, and you both know it.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You did this to them!” Fullmetal snapped, temper flaring up as always it did when people he cared about were in the balance. “You turned them into an empty shell because you couldn’t manage to rein in your temper!”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re telling me you would have been any different?” Roy asked harshly. Fullmetal clammed up. They both knew the blonde would have done the same thing. The fact that his sorrow had outweighed his temper had been all that had kept him from lashing out right there in the tunnels.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“…Your country, it’ll take a while to rebuild.” Ling observed. “Even with your alchemy, there’s quite a bit of work to be done…Father and your own military made quite the mess of things.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And?” Roy asked. Ling expression stayed serious, but, as he looked down at Roy, something almost menacing flashed in his eyes.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And your weakened state makes you ripe for invading and conquering.” He said easily, startling everyone in the room. “Thanks to Father, the Homunculi, and his little minions amongst your commanding officers, you’ve never once had friendly relations with your neighbors, Crests of Blood needing to be drawn meant constant conflict on the boarders, and the most you have is a shaky ceasefire with your northern neighbor that appears to be more of a suggestion than anything else. You lack allies to help with rebuilding, to protect you from hostile forces, to provide aid for those that need it…You are completely and utterly alone and wounded.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“If this is a threat-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s an honest observation of your situation, General Mustang.” Ling assured him. “Even when you’re done dusting yourselves off and fixing yourselves up, you’ll be alone. Who will want to open up trade with a country that’s shown nothing but aggression sinceits inception? Where’s the incentive to cooperate?” Roy’s eyes narrowed. He had a feeling he knew where the young prince was going with this, and he commended him for it. “Xing, on the other hand, well…we’ve had little contact with your country and maintain apathy instead of hostility, and we’ve already technically provided you aid. Mei Chang and I both have connections to the royal family, and I’ll be emperor soon enough. Favorable trade relations with a country like ours would be extremely beneficial. We’re large enough and powerful enough to make any potential bullies think twice before picking on you, we have plenty to offer that would be veryadvantageous to you…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And very problematic if given to others, right?” Roy guessed. Ling shrugged. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“If you want to look at it that way. My attachment to this country ends at the friends I’ve made here…Envy among them. They and the rest of my new companions are my only incentive to offer aid, trade, protection, or anything else that your country might find beneficial. Their treatment affects my opinion of this country as a whole. Refusing them the help they need while knowing that they are vulnerable and dying doesn’t really send a very good message to a potential ally, now…does it?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ling, you…” Fullmetal looked shocked, he clearly hadn’t been expecting his friend to go for the jugular the way he had. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“So? What will it be, General?” Ling asked. “Show me you’re better than I think you are, make progress and growth more important than holding onto your hate, or let Envy and any hope Amestris had at a friendly relationship with Xing die?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re telling me to just…completely and totally forget that that thing murdered my friend in cold blood? To do it the courtesy of helping it stay alive when it just-“</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“I’m telling you to do something a four year old could manage, but a grown man in a position of importance and power can’t seem to!” Ling snapped, clearly in no mood to deal with whatever buggery came with their current topic of conversation. “</em> <b> <em>Toddlers</em> </b> <em> are capable of forgiveness, General. </em> <b> <em>Children</em> </b> <em> have the capacity to move beyond past wrongs to help each other. I’m not telling you to run door to door all over Amestris telling everyone that you’ve forgiven Envy all their sins. I’m not telling you to become their nearest and dearest. I’m not even telling you to develop any level of fondness for them. I’m simply asking you to prove you’re at least on par with a child and do something that will save their life. I’m asking you to prove you’re better than they were when they killed your friend.” Roy couldn’t stop the flinch, but he held his ground. A teenage boy was not going to unsettle him…outwardly. Inside, he was reeling to an extent. Ling had hit hard and fast with a few good blows to glaring weak points. He was a bright kid for being so loopy, Roy had to give him that…and he probably shouldn’t have been surprised the Xingese prince had come in swinging for the fences. He housed the Homunculus Greed, who seemed genuinely fond of Envy. His only remaining family…No, if Roy looked at it that way, he’d be giving them a foothold. He’d be leaning towards giving in if it became a matter of family. </em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Permission to speak freely?” Hawkeye spoke up. He sighed inwardly, now he was in for it. Whatever cheap shots Ling hadn’t taken, Hawkeye certainly would.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Granted.” He said. Hawkeye stepped around the desk, standing next to Ling.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I think you should do this.” She said simply. “I think it would be good for you, I think it would speak to who you really are…And there’s nothing wrong with forgiving someone for doing something terrible. There’s nothing wrong with being better than you were back in the tunnels.” There it was. “I know you regret what you did. I know it hurts you. I know you wish you could go back…and I know that I told you that’s how it would go. So listen to me this time, and do this for them.” She gestured to Ling and Fullmetal. “Whether or not relations with a potential ally are on the line, this is the right thing to do.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You really think we should waste resources trying to keep a broken Homunculus around?” Roy asked. Hawkeye did exactly what he thought she would, looked to Ling…no, to Greed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Can you tell him what we know about this facility?” She asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s under a hospital that was damaged during the conflict in Central.” Greed said. “Father put some research labs in underneath the hospital to shield the real purpose of the place.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“To house Envy.” Fullmetal said. Greed nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The machines there’ll hook up to their ‘weak points’ and-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Its what?” Roy asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“‘Weak points’.” Greed said. “All Homunculi that aren’t human based have them. They’re spots on us that you can use to control our bodies to an extent, essentially. They’ll be hooked up via those and kept alive by the machines there.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“How does it stay functioning?” Hawkeye asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s got its own grid.” Greed said. “It’ll keep going no matter what happens to everything around it. Father…went the extra mile, even came up with new technology to keep the place running tip-top.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“So…there’s no affect on the buildings around it?” Hawkeye asked. Greed shook his head.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s completely self-sustained. The only resource depletion is whatever the hospital and labs used.” He said. Hawkeye gave Roy a look that clearly said ‘give up while it doesn’t look pathetic’.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What about staff? People that know how to work the machines?” Fullmetal asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“There’s always people that know how to run the place. Upkeep was important, even when it wasn’t in use. The last thing he needed was some hunk of whatever crapping out on him.” Greed said, “There’s also always instructions. If someone can’t manage something right, it could end in Envy’s death…their return to Father.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Something he wanted to avoid at all costs, right?” Hawkeye asked. Greed nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Like I said at the hospital, all of us, hewould take back…but not Envy. He never wanted Envy back. Not even for a minute to remake them.” He said. “I thought it was cruel at the time, making someplace to just dump off someone that you created solely to feel things you considered to be so awful you never want to feel them again yourself…I still do, but…it’s the only way to save them. If we can’t get people we trust to run the place, though, there’s not much point. It all runs the risk of going wrong. A live Homunculus, even one as damaged as Envy is, would be a very appealing thing to the wrong people.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Which is why we need you to take over the facility.” Fullmetal said. “We need the military to take control, because you’re…” He lowered his gaze. “You’re the only person I trust with them…The only person I know that can help us with this.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Hawkeye moved over next to him, resting her hands on his shoulders comfortingly.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The only other person Ed said he remotely trusted with this was someone named Oliver Armstrong…and he said that would more than likely go less than great…” Greed said. Roy cringed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“He…wasn’t wrong.” He said. “Major General Armstrong is loyal to Amestris and her people, but she’s not above being enterprising for the greater good, and she’s not known for being overly caring…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“So, you’re literally our only option.” Ling said. Fullmetal nodded and Hawkeye eyed him expectantly. He held out for a while longer, not wanting to give in, not wanting to help the thing that had killed Hughs…but knowing that he, in the end, for a wider variety of reasons than originally he thought there’d be, didn’t have much choice.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Alright…and I think I might know the perfect person to play babysitter for that monster.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Doctor Marcoh.” Roy spoke up, catching the man’s attention as he walked towards the front steps of the building.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, General Mustang, hello.” He greeted with a smile. “What brings you here?”</p><p class="p1">“Curiosity mostly, I think.” Roy said. “Care to indulge me for a few minutes?” Marcoh hesitated, looking at the building. “Anxious to get back to your surrogate child?”</p><p class="p1">“You jest, but…” Marcoh sighed. “I think I can manage some indulging.” He said, motioning for Roy to follow him inside. “When you came to me with the proposal of becoming the lead on this little venture, I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure up until the day they woke up.”</p><p class="p1">“You were sure after that?” Roy asked, surprised that interacting with Envywas what had been the turning point. He’d thought seeing it up and moving might have the opposite affect on someone that had been at its mercy the way the doctor had. Marcoh nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I’d had my concerns that how they’d treated me in the past would affect how I treated them while they were in my care…That theywould wake up and be the same cruel, angry monster they’d been for a majority of my time knowing them.”</p><p class="p1">“But, lo and behold, the monster’s gone.” Roy said. Marcoh nodded pausing briefly to greet the receptionist. He turned back to Roy when he’d finished checking messages and notes.</p><p class="p1">“The Envy they once were, sarcastic, rude, temperamental, angry, insecure, and violent, is gone completely.” Hecontinued on, Roy keeping pace at his side. “I’ve heard the Homunculi Father created described as containers…keeping with that analogy, Envy has been emptied entirely. They look the same, their voice is the same, their body is the same…but that’s all. The sin is gone, their contents are gone. They’ve become…for…lack of better term…a pure being. They know no hate or anger or sorrow or jealousy. They haven’t been hurt or used or despised or feared as they are now.”</p><p class="p1">Havoc saluted as they passed the checkpoint he manned, the spot where staff went through and visitors stopped to wait. The facility was highly secured, both to keep the less than desirables away from militaryresearch and to keep everyone away from Envy.</p><p class="p1">“I admit, I didn’t know it well before…I only met it briefly and it seemed…lively, almost peppy.” Roy said. Marcoh laughed.</p><p class="p1">“Peppy is definitely not a word that’s crossed my mind when trying todescribe Envy.” He said. “The Envy I knew was violent and cruel for the longest time…”</p><p class="p1">“But that stopped?” Roy asked. Marcoh had left the sentence hanging, trailed off as though there was something he had decided to keep to himself at the last minute.</p><p class="p1">“They changed to an extent.” Marcoh said after a brief moment of silence. “Became…softer. They did an admirable job of pretending there was no change, but…well, it’s easier to hide cruel than it is kind.”</p><p class="p1">“What do you think caused it?” Roy asked.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, I know what caused it.” Marcoh said. “They told me shortly before I escaped.”</p><p class="p1">“What was it?” Roy asked as they passed researchers and doors to various labs. He honestly had left most of what happened in the labs to Marcoh and the people under his command. He got reports, summaries, papers detailing it, but he knew Marcoh by now. He knew the man would never letanything untoward go on in a building he had command over. Not after what he’d been a part of at Laboratory Five. As far as Roy was aware, the former hospital was used for medical research, different ways for people that couldn’t or didn’t use alchemy to manage some of the same things as people that used medical alchemy. That was what he’d had put on the official paperwork when petitioning to have the building annexed into military control. The lower labs had been closed down and were still out of use, no one had brought up any propositions controversial enough to warrant the secrecy and none of the research being done in the labs above ground was considered potentially dangerous or sensitive enough that it needed to be moved down below. Honestly, Roy and those few that knew about the real reason the place was in use again hoped it would stay that way. The less traffic to the lower levels, the better. They passed through a set of doors leading to the elevators, guarded by four armed soldiers and complete with a man in uniform at a desk to take names from whoever tried to pass. Even showing up with Marcoh wasn’t enough to avoid the sign in, as per Roy’s orders.</p><p class="p1">“It was Edward.” Marcoh said as he too signed in. “They started to become close to Edward, and the closer the two of them grew, the more Envy questioned themselves and their father.”</p><p class="p1">“Didn’t stop it from following its father’s orders.” Roy pointed out. Marcoh shook his head as they continued on.</p><p class="p1">“No, it didn’t. I couldn’t tell you why they kept listening to him, or what finally made them defect…but, I can tell you it all came about because of Edward.”</p><p class="p1">“That kid just keeps surprising me.” Roy said.</p><p class="p1">“Impressive, isn’t it?” Marcoh asked. Roy nodded.</p><p class="p1">“You’d think, eventually, we’d see it all when it comes to him.” He said. Marcoh chuckled. Breda saluted when the pair approached.</p><p class="p1">“Surprised to see you here, General.” He said. Roy shrugged.</p><p class="p1">“Call it an unofficial inspection.”</p><p class="p1">“Has Edward come through yet?” Marcoh asked. Breda shookhis head.</p><p class="p1">“Something about a meeting or something.” He said. “Kid’s probably turning down another promotion or something.”</p><p class="p1">“He is.” Roy said. “The paperwork crossed my desk, I told them I’d put it through and that they should prepare to be disappointed. The only reason he accepted the promotion to Colonel was I suggested the higher rank would make him privy to more.”</p><p class="p1">“Edward cares about very little involving the military unless it could affect this place.” Marcoh said. “If he ever finds out that a further promotion could be advantageous for us here for some reason, I’m sure he’ll climb the ladder every time they offer him a rung.”</p><p class="p1">“Hero of the whole damn country, he’ll probably make Führer long before you do, sir.” Breda said. Roy raised an eyebrow.</p><p class="p1">“Not a chance.” He said. “Now open the elevator.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, sir.” Breda said, pulling the lever to open the elevator doors.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>He hadn’t expected Envy to look the way it did, so still and fragile. Thanks to Mei Chang, its body hadn’t deteriorated at all, she’d stayed in Amestris to make sure Envy didn’t waste away, and to try to persuade Al to go back to Xing with her. The girl was completely and utterly smitten and it was highly amusing to watch. Now, though, the focus was on Envy, who wore a short, black, baggy, short sleeved gown with a low cut back and Fullmetal’s signature red coat, held bridal style in Greed’s arms as they entered the facility, taking a secret passage to the research labs below the closed down hospital, then an even more complex route to an elevator that took them down to the facility. No one mentioned theunnerving air of the place, no one said anything at all as they entered the spacious room with machines and monitors and technology the likes of which they’d never seen before. It had a skeleton crew working it at the moment, only the few that had been trained from the beginning to run things. There would be more staff soon enough, but for the time being, it was only a few. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“This is…fascinating…” Marcoh murmured from his spot immediately behind Roy. “The technology here, the machines, they…I’ve never seen anything like them before.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Father went all out on making sure he’d never have to take Envy back into his body.” Greed said, his hold on his sibling tightening unconsciously. “Never thought I’d actually feel relieved that he did.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Finally happened then, eh?” An older man asked as he approached the group, looking down at Envy. “Huh…not what I was expecting, from what we’d been told.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Excuse me?” Greed asked. The man looked up at him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Always thought it’d look more monstrous than this.” He said. “With the stories we’dbeen hearing about it, the embodiment of envy shouldn’t be nearly this pretty.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s only pretty on the outside.” Roy muttered. The man snorted.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The outside seems to be the only thing left.” He said, motioning for them to follow him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy’s still in there.” Fullmetal insisted, startling the man. “They’re still there, just…weakened.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Of course it is.” The man said as doors opened and closed and they continued on their path. They finally entered a room with off-white walls and cameras everywhere. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What the hell is this?” Greed demanded. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“This is its new home.” The man said as the sectioned door along one wall opened to reveal the room they’d just come from and a machine lowered from the ceiling while another simultaneously rose from the floor. “Bring it here,” He gestured to the machines, “Let’s get it hooked up.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Greed and Fullmetal approached, both crouching down with the man. “Doctor Marcoh, if you’re going to be taking over its care, you should see how this is done.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Of course.” Marcoh said, joining the trio in seeing to Envy.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You did the right thing doing this, sir.” Hawkeye said as she stood at Roy’s side, watching them taking Fullmetal’s coat off the unconscious Homunculus, leaning it forward to get to the trio of circles on its back.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I hope you’re right.” Roy said. “If this goes awry somehow, it’s all on me.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Hawkeye smiled.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I know.” </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“…If I may ask,”Marcoh said as they stood in the elevator, “why suddenly so curious?”</p><p class="p1">“Hm?” Roy looked at him, and the old doctor’s brow furrowed.</p><p class="p1">“You told me before that curiosity is what brought you here today.” He said. “Why suddenly?”</p><p class="p1">“Just…curious.” Roy said. “It’s changed, and I’m intrigued…Well…no, intrigued isn’t the right word. I just…”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh was silent for a moment after that, speaking up only when they’d reached the doors to the room Envy was being held in.</p><p class="p1">“You want to see more of what you did to them.” He said. Roy looked away from Marcoh as the doors opened. “Come on then.” He said, never judging, never condescending, never angry, even with his newly formed bond and closeness with Envy. He was simply calm. Roy had made a good choice with Marcoh.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t understand.” Marcoh said as he sat across from Roy in the General’s office. “You want me to return to military service?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes. I have a position I believe only you can fill.” Roy said. “You were held by the Homunculi to be used as a potential sacrifice until Scar rescued you, in a turn of events that I will always find highly ironic, correct?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Y-Yes.” Marcoh said with a nod, squeezing his hands together, fingers intertwined.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I apologize for my bluntness in such a sensitive matter, Doctor, but…this is time sensitive so…delicacy has kind of taken backseat for the moment.” Roy explained. He had an anxious alchemist, pushy Homunculus, and insistent future emperor breathing down his neck, the sooner this was squared away, the better.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Of course, of course…What…what is this position, General?” Marcoh asked. Roy braced himself, taking a deep breath.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“We need someone to tend to the Homunculus known as Envy.” He said. Marcoh’s eyes widened. “Doctor-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Absolutely not.” Marcoh said, shaking his head. Roy had figured this would be difficult, he knew Envy and the Doctor had a past. “No. Never. Not Envy.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor, please, I know you and Envy don’t have…the best past-“ He was surprised when Marcoh stood up and made his way to the door. “Doctor, it’sdying!” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh froze, if anything, curiosity was enough to make him turn around.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Dying? Homunculi don’t slowly fade away, General.” Marcoh said. “Their Cores dictate their lives. Once the Philosopher’s Stone at their heart is depleted, they die.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“This is…unusual circumstances.” Roy said. “Envy’s Core was…in the process of shattering when it was repaired and given more souls…but, its mind didn’t recover. From what I was told, there is a place that can be used to sustain it, but-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Why me?” Marcoh asked. “You know what’s happened between Envy and I so why come to me?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Because I know you’ll do what’s best and right for your patient.” Roy said. “Envy, at this point, according to Fullmetal, is in a comatose state. The main consensus is that it will probably never wake. It is completely and utterly defenseless the way it is now. It’s known by most in the military now that the Homunculi were behind everything that happened, leaving it in the care of just anyone would be less than ideal. Not only is it responsible for countless deaths and tragedies throughout Amestris’s history, it’s also a living, breathing legend. Something that has never been madesuccessfully before, a Homunculus, an artificial person…If it was conscious, able to communicate and move and assess situations properly and defend itself, I’d care significantly less…but it’s essentially a vegetable, and leaving it in the care of the wrong people could be disastrous for it.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“They killed Maes Hughs…you know that, don’t you?” Marcoh asked. Roy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I know…I’m…the reason we’re having this conversation. Hughs was avenged with interest and Envy would be completely gone from this world if not for Fullmetal.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh sighed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And the Philospher’s Stone? Both work on creating one and the one at their heart?” He asked.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“There will be no more work by the military to create a Stone.” Roy said. “The one at Envy’s heart stays where it is, untouched and unknown to anyone that doesn’t absolutely need to know. I’m only asking for your help babysitting a braindead Homunculus, nothing more. I swear.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I see…” Marcoh said. “And you’re certain it has to be me?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m certain.” Roy said with a nod. “Both because you already know just about everything we would have to teach someone new, and because I know you’re a good man. Someone I can trust, someone that won’t abuse or sully the position I give you, that won’t do any harm to someone in your care. I know you’re better than most…certainly myself. You won’t let what happened in the past affect how you treat it and you won’t let anyone get away with any abuse.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And re-enlisting is a must for this?” Marcoh asked. Roy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m afraid so.” He said. “The facility it’ll be housed in is being taken under military control. A civilian position wouldn’t afford you nearly as much pull as a military rank. I’ll be in charge of it, but I need someone to head the place, to run it…to take care of it and its secrets.” He slid a file across the desk, waiting for Marcoh to make a move. The old doctor finally approached the desk, picking up the file and looking through it.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“These documents are for R and D labs for medical equipment and supplies.” He said. Roy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“There was a hospital in the building abovethe facility, but it was shut down after being damaged in the attack on Central. We’re reopening it as research labs for things that, quite frankly, I know you’ll excel at. Ineeded it to be a place that made sense for you to head. No experimentation on living things, no forbidden alchemy, just trying to make new ways to help people.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh paged through the papers more before finally looking back at Roy.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And Envy? Where do they fit in?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The facility it will be housed in is buried deep under the old hospital. Greed said their father put labs under the hospital to explain away anything odd that Envy’s little prison might stir up. They were doing research into transforming the human body. Messy, nasty attempts to make super soldiers without the unpredictability of trying to make a Chimera with a human mind.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Something suitably awful to make people believe it couldn’t get any worse, that what they saw was all there was.” Marcoh said. Roy nodded. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“If I’m being honest, the facility’s got kind of a depressing reason for existing in the first place.” He said. Marcoh cocked his head the slightest bit. “According to Greed, Father could take them back into his body, reclaim his sins until he made a new Homunculus to house them…except Envy.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Why not Envy?” Marcoh asked. “What made them different?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“He didn’t want it back.” Roy said. “He would take back any other sin except his envy. That, he never wanted back. To the point of building someplace capable of indefinitely sustaining it if every it wasn’t of use anymore. To imprison it so he would never have to experience what it was housing again.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“My god…” Marcoh murmured. Roy could see the gears turning. The doctor had come in knowing the Homunculi were made to house their father’s sins, that they were slaves to the sins to an extent…butthe idea that Envy was made and filled with things so terrible to endure that its creator would rather lock it up forever than experience them again himself invoked pity, sympathy. Even Roy felt for it, and it had murdered his dearest friend. Marcoh was too kind to walk away from that. What surprised him was the old doctor looked to be remembering something. Roy just…had no idea what. If he had to guess, going by their topic of conversation, he’d say something involving Envy…Probably not the best memories to be letting him focus on if Roy wanted his help.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’ll do it.” Marcoh said finally. Roy sat up straight.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Really?” He asked. Marcoh nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I…can’t leave them like that. I’ll take on the position.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’ll re-enlist?” Roy asked. Marcoh nodded. “You have no idea how grateful I am for this.” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>And he was, very much so. Not for Envy’s sake, no, but for his own. Fullmetal, Greed and Ling were getting antsy and he didn’t know how much longer Mei would be willing to stay in Amestris to assist with Envy’s upkeep when her family was waiting for her back in Xing. He’d heard she was trying to teach Fullmetal how to use Alkahestry to manage the Homunculus himself until they could get everything squared away, but it wasn’t going anywhere near as quickly as they’d hoped. Something about it simply wasn’t clicking for the alchemist. As Marcoh took his leave, Hawkeye entered the office.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Good news?” She asked. Roy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“He’ll do it.” He said. “Even the re-enlisting.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed’ll be happy.” Hawkeye said. The smile on her face clearly stating Fullmetal wasn’t the only one.Roy nodded. He had to admit, seeing her happy made all the work to aid something he hated a little more worth it…a little.</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Roy stood facing the window, the door hiding it having been raised so he could see into the room, see the creature curled up in the middle of the floor. It was laying in the middle of the floor, on top of the trapdoor that opened to allow the tube he’d seen people coaxing it into the last time he was there, back to the glass, the tubes hooked up to its back in full view. There was no signs of survival instincts or want for self-preservation…As though it had been reduced to little more than a child.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning, Doctor.” A young woman working at one of the monitors said as Marcoh walked up next to her, eyeing the numbers and charts.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning, Diane…These numbers are high again.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, I, um…”</p><p class="p1">“Diane, if you’re not going to do as asked of you and inform the proper people when it’s necessary, we will need to discuss moving you elsewhere.” Marcoh scolded. “This is not a first time occurrence and we both know it will only cause trouble for everyone involved if it continues.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, Doctor Marcoh.”The young woman said. Roy approached.</p><p class="p1">“What do elevated numbers mean?” He asked, Diane jumping and spinning around in her swivel chair, eyes widening when she saw him standing there. Marcoh looked at him.</p><p class="p1">“They mean that Envy’s mind is changing. Increased numbers mean increased activity.” Marcoh said. “The changes are always temporary, but it is important to note them down. It’s possible, if we can catch them when they start, to interact with Envy and see if there’s a way to keep their progress going, or at least establish a pattern, if there is one, and see what progresscan be made from there.”</p><p class="p1">“I see…So it’s important to know right away when the changes happen then?” Roy asked. Marcoh nodded.</p><p class="p1">“This place was built to house Envy, but, if we can help them as well as hold them, that would be ideal.” Marcoh said.</p><p class="p1">“Shall I tell it you’re here, doctor?” An older man at another end of the large console Diane was seated at asked. Roy recognized him as the man that had greeted them when they’d first brought Envy to the facility.</p><p class="p1">“No, Doctor Warley, let them rest.” Marcoh said.</p><p class="p1">“Do they need rest?” Roy asked. He doubted it did much inside its empty box that might tire it in any way.</p><p class="p1">“No, not the way we do.” Marcoh said. “The Homunculi were made to be superior in many ways, not needing rest, food or drink being among those ways.”</p><p class="p1">“Then why…?” Roy gestured to the Homunculus, still curled up like a cat on the floor.</p><p class="p1">“I admit, I haven’t figured that out yet.” Marcoh said. “The increased brain activity seems to only happen when they’re like this, though. Let them know I’ve arrived when the numbers return to normal.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re sure it’s safe to let it stay that way?” Roy asked. Marcoh looked at him with a small frown.</p><p class="p1">“General, I’m not sure of anything. Even after learning everything there was to learn, there’s a great deal that’s still uncertain. Homunculi are so rare that, until Envy and their siblings werediscovered, they were solidly positioned in the realm of legend. I only have what information Greed and Envy told me to go off of…and this,” He gestured to Envy, who hadn’t so much as twitched yet, “should never have happened. The entire resurrection was based off of nothing but hope and improvisation. It’s a wonder they managed it.”</p><p class="p1">“It should be dead.” Diane muttered. “It destroyed this country and now it isn’t even going to be punished for it.”</p><p class="p1">“Diane, you’re not here to have an opinion, you’re here to work.”Doctor Warley said. “We were selected because we are the best, act like it.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, Doctor.” Diane said quietly.</p><p class="p1">“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”Marcoh said. “It’s when that opinion affects how you treat someone that it becomes a problem. Envy has done terrible things, a great many of them…but they are in our care and it is our responsibility to them to treat them as best we are able.”</p><p class="p1">“Of course, Doctor.” Diane said. “My apologies.”</p><p class="p1">“No apology needed, Diane, just try to better yourself from this.” Marcoh said.</p><p class="p1">“Can’t say I entirely disagree with her.” Roy said. Marcoh shook his head slowly.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t think you’d feel differently.” He said. “It took a great deal for my feelings to change…and I haven’t forgotten what they once were or why…but that isn’t the same Envy that wreaked havoc over Amestris. That is an empty container. Something pure and new in the shape of something dark and old.”</p><p class="p1">Roy couldn’t help the smirk that spread over his face.</p><p class="p1">“You’re the ones fillingit up this time.” He said. Diane turned in her chair, looking at him wide eyed.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t think of that.” She said.</p><p class="p1">“Of course you didn’t.” A third man off to Diane’s right said with a laugh. “You can’t even think to say ‘hey these numbers look funny’.”</p><p class="p1">“Enough now, there’s no need to be rude.”Marcoh said. The man waved the doctor off and returned to his work. Diane did likewise with a deep frown and contemplative look on her face. “You’re right to an extent, General.” Marcoh looked at Roy as Diane announced the numbers returning to normal. “But it’s not just us here, it’s everyone they meet. Everyone that visits puts a piece in, teaches them something new about the world and how to act in it. Doctor Warley, would you wake them, please.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, doctor.” Doctor Warley said, reaching for the button to turn the microphone on.</p><p class="p1">“Like raising a child.” Roy said, watching Envy stir and sit up as Marcoh’s presence was announced.</p><p class="p1">“Exactly.” Marcoh said, smiling when Envy crawled over to the glass, a smile on its face as it looked at the doctor, pressing its palm flat to the glass. Marcoh raised his hand like Roy had seen Fullmetal do when they’d brought Greed to visit. The action made Envy’s smile broaden and it sat back, hands on its lap as it looked out at the world…out at Roy. There was nothing there. Nothing in its eyes or expression or posture to say it recognized him at all. If anything, his presence just seemed to intrigue it and it tilted its head curiously. He raised his hand experimentally, the way Marcoh had and it smiled again, palm returning to the glass.</p><p class="p1">“Why does this make it so happy?” Roy asked. Marcoh shrugged.</p><p class="p1">“I’m not sure, but it does.” He said. “The first thing they did when they woke was press their hands against the glass of the tube they were in.” Roy lowered his hand and Envy’s returned to its lap. “I…put mine against theirs on instinct and everyday after that, they would do the same thing. Reaching for them or touching the glass as well seemed to make them happy, so…”</p><p class="p1">“So, it’s become a greeting or comfort of some kind?” Roy asked.</p><p class="p1">“I suppose so, yes.” Marcoh said. “They’re happiest when I do it, but…Edward is a close second.”</p><p class="p1">“Fullmetal?” Roy asked,Marcoh nodded.</p><p class="p1">“Edward was the second one to see them after they woke up.” He said. “The first thing he did was reachfor Envy.”</p><p class="p1">Roy felt that pang of guilt again, the same strange hybrid with fear that he’d felt in the tunnels watching the blonde break down in Hawkeye’s arms.</p><p class="p1">“…Can I talk to it?”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, there’s a microphone here that you can talk into.” Marcoh said, gesturing to the microphone.Roy shook his head.</p><p class="p1">“I mean in person.” He said. Marcoh hesitated. “Please.”</p><p class="p1">“You…understand my hesitance, correct?” Marcoh asked. Roy nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I killed it the first time.Me avenging Hughs is why it’s here…I won’t hurt it, Doctor, I promise.”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh took a long time to contemplate before finally nodding.</p><p class="p1">“Alright. Just remember they’re not who they were before.”</p><p class="p1">“Noted.” Roy said,eyes on that small smile gracing thatpretty face behind theglass.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>He’d been both surprised and not when he’d found Edward Elric and his rag-tag group of allies fighting the strange immortal soldiers…and he’d definitely been surprised when he’d fully registered that there was a large green monster eating the cycloptic creatures like candy. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy, a little help?!” Fullmetal cried as he was overrun, the monster shot out one of its eight limbs, the end turning into a mouth and closing around a group of the soldiers, the rest of its body compacting down and reforming at Fullmetal’s side. Roy was surprised to see an attractive young…someone…standing there, a wide grin on their face as they tossed their long, green-black hair and gave a cocky laugh.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Geez, Ed, you’re gonna get eaten if you don’t step it up a bit.” They said, snapping their fingers once per word when they said ‘step it up a bit’ to punctuate. Fullmetal glared mildly. “What? It’s not my fault these things seem to really like shrimp.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Damn it all, Envy, I’m taller than you now!” Fullmetal snapped, rising to the bait as always he did when he height was under fire.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah and it’s kinda nice…” The youth, apparently named Envy, said, stepping right up to Fullmetal, fingertips trailing up his chest, grin turning sly. “Very nice, in fact.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Time and place, Envy…” Fullmetal said, voice cracking a bit. “Time and place…Not now, not here.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Awww, spoilsport.” Envy pouted. Fullmetal gripped their chin and pulled them closer, kissing them harshly.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“There’s a new wave coming in, we should get back to work. Pout free.” He said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes, sir.” Envy said, still grinning as they were released and sent back to work. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Damn, kid,” One of the Chimera on Fullmetal’s team said, “rub the active sexlife in our faces, why don’t you.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I'd rather rub it in Envy’s, if that’s cool.” Fullmetal said with an amused and undeniably cocky grin. “They’re a lot prettier.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Amen to that.” The other Chimera said as Envy literally danced through the attacking horde, cutting them down as they went. It was almost mesmerizing to watch, the only off-putting part of it being the look of glee on their face as they killed. They enjoyed the death too much for Roy’s comfort. He raised his hand and snapped, flames flying out and burning the horde. Envy shrieking in surprise and literally scaling the large door they stood by was all that kept them from burning.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Colonel?!” Fullmetal asked, turning to face Roy.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Need a hand?” He asked, earning him a sour look.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Fucking hell, You bastard, you almost fucking torched me! What the hell?!” Envy screamed from their perch on top of the door.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It wouldn’t have killed you and you know it!” Fullmetal called up to them. They glared at him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Don’t side with that pyromanial shit!” They yelled. Fullmetal shrugged then turned to Roy. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Thanks for the help, but we need to keep moving.” He said as Envy jumped down off the door, padding over to them at a mosey. They finally stood next to Fullmetal, who gave them a brief yet fond glance. That was when Roy noticed it, the mark on their leg.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’re a Homunculus.” He said. That was…peculiar. Envy and Fullmetal exchanged a nervous glance.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy’s not a threat to us.” Ed said. “They’re on our side.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“No, I thought you’d, apparently literally, hopped in bed with the enemy.” Roy deadpanned, earning a rather nasty glare.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’ll hop in bed with whoever I want. I don’t need your approval, Colonel Useless When Wet.” Fullmetal snapped. Ok, so the relationship he had with Envy was a sensitive spot. Noted.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I wasn’t judging, I was just noting you trying to see if you could taste its tonsils a minute ago.” Roy said. He didn’t need to look to know Hawkeye was rolling her eyes. She always rolled her eyes when he said things like that. Fullmetal, on the other hand, just looked all the more pissed. Envy, though, was turned away and, if the shaking of its shoulders was anything to go by, it found the whole thing very amusing.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Shut up, Envy, a shot at me is a shot at you this time!” Fullmetal snapped.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, no, he noticed me being ravaged by the Fullmetal Alchemist! Oh, dear, whatever will I do to save my damaged modesty? Oh, woe is me!” Envy said dramatically, hand to its forehead as it swooned before breaking down laughing again.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, shut up!” Fullmetal yelled, red in the face.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Edward,” Scar, another surprise, said, “We need to get moving.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Right.” Fullmetal agreed. “Let’s go.”He’d grabbed Envy’s hand to pull it along but stopped when it made no move to follow. “Envy?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Can you…” Envy looked uncertain now, all humor and good cheer gone. “Just…Can I have a minute with the Colonel?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy, if this is something that canwait, it probably should.” Ed said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s not.” Envy said. “I don’t know how this final battle will go. Father could kill the lot of you before you defeat him, take me back into himself, or win and kill all of you…I need to get this off my chest while I still can.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Fullmetal hesitated, realization seeming to have set in. Realization of what, Roy wasn’t sure, but realization all the same.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy, you don’t-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I do, alright?” Envy said, determined.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“We’ll catch up when your girlfriend’s done, it’s fine.” Roy said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m not a girl.” Envy said sourly. Fullmetal seemed all the more uncertain.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“We can wait.” He said. “You can do this quick and we’ll all just…keep going together.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed, please, this isn’t the right time for sentimentality.” Envy said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m not being sentimental, Envy, I’m worried about you.” Fullmetal insisted. “I don’t want to just leave you if-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Ed, go. You need to keep going. The sooner this is done, the better. The Promised Day’s right up our asses, this can’t wait.” Envy said. “Go. I’ll catch up.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Envy…” Fullmetal tarried a moment longer, but finally gave in, kissing Envy again and hurrying along. “Let’s go, guys!”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Roy watched the group go, then turned his attention to Envy, who looked to be rethinking its decision.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You wanted to say something, say it.” He said. It hesitated.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“About Maes Hughs…” The Homunculus said finally, Roy stiffened. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“…You…What do you know about Hughs?” He asked. Envy looked away for a moment before finally meeting his gaze again.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I killed him.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Roy stood by the door to the room Envy was in, watching it stand and doddle its way over to him and Marcoh. It smiled, standing straight and bowing respectfully. Marcoh patted its head, congratulating it on following proper greeting procedure.</p><p class="p1">“Envy,” He said, gesturing to Roy, who was watching the Homunculus with a strange sort of wonder, “this is a friend of mine-“</p><p class="p1">“General Roy Mustang.” Roy said. Envy looked surprised, looking between Marcoh and Roy a few times before finally settling on Marcoh when the doctor began to speak.</p><p class="p1">“General, they won’t be able to remember all that easily.” He said. “It took them a week to commit their own name to memory.”</p><p class="p1">“General will do then.”Roy said. Memories of the day below Central flashed through his head, the look of guilt on Envy’s face, the tears that it never had the chance to shed…the look of shock and horror when he’d raised his hand…the brief moment of pain before the flames fully engulfed it.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I killed him…and I’m so, so sorry for that.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">"I-It’s…nice to meet...you.” Envy said, still thrown off by the break in routine.</p><p class="p1">“What’s wrong?” Roy asked looking at Marcoh.</p><p class="p1">“Normally I introduce the new arrival.” Marcoh said. “That’s how it’s been this whole time.”</p><p class="p1">“Ah. Sorry about that.” Roy said. “Didn’t mean to muddle with over a month of progress.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s fine, I’m sure.” Marcoh assured him. “Right, Envy?” Envy looked at him, brow furrowed. He stroked its hair gently a few times, in an effort to calm it. “It’s alright.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s…alright.” Envy parroted, finally relaxing again. “It’s...fine.”</p><p class="p1">“Very good.” Marcoh said with a smile.</p><p class="p1">“You don’t remember things well, do you, Envy?” Roy asked. Envy visibly deflated, looking disappointed in itself.</p><p class="p1">“No…My memorer…” It paused, seeming to know that wasn’t quite right, mind working to figure out what part was wrong and fix it. “…ry…rory…memory. Memory?” It looked to Marcoh, who nodded. It smiled broadly as it looked back at Roy. “My...memory isn’t-“ The smile faded when it realized what it was saying and it drooped again. “It’s...not good.” It said, only looking more discouraged now. “Doctor Marcoh...says…He says it…will get better…maybe…”</p><p class="p1">“Well, that’s…good to hear…I think.” Roy said. He was uncertain, now that he was actually standing in front of the Homunculus. He’d thought…he wasn’t sure what he’d thought entirely. That he would feel that anger again when seeing it face to face, perhaps? That there’d be at least a flicker of something behind those vacant eyes when it saw him? That somehow, what it had done would still be in there? That what <em>he</em> had done would still be in there? But there was nothing. It truly was completely devoid of memories from before he’d… “Do you know how to snap?” Heasked. Marcoh stiffened, eyeing him cautiously. Envy looked confused.</p><p class="p1">“Snap?” It asked. He nodded.</p><p class="p1">“General, may I ask what you’re doing?” Marcoh asked. Roy raised his hand for Envy to see.</p><p class="p1">“It works best when your hand is bare like this.” He said. “Do this with your fingers.”</p><p class="p1">“General, please.” Marcoh said as Envy raised its hand, Roy positioning its fingers properly.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright, Doctor, I won’t hurt it.” Roy assured Marcoh.</p><p class="p1">“Like...this?” Envy asked. Roy nodded, unable to keep a small smile off his face when Envy looked pleased with itself for managing snapping this far. It looked at Marcoh, who gave it a shaky smile, then back at Roy. “Now...what?” It asked.</p><p class="p1">“Now, you do this.” Roy snapped his fingers and Envy jumped a bit, startled by the noise.</p><p class="p1">“Loud.” It said. Roy chuckled quietly before he could stop himself.</p><p class="p1">“It can be. Give it a try.”He said. Envy’s attempt didn’t go nearly as well as Roy’s and it pouted. “Try again. It doesn’t always work the first time.” He helped it position its hand again and stepped back. The second attempt was met with similar results.</p><p class="p1">“I...can’t do it…” Envy mumbled, discouraged. It looked at him. “Why...do you…do it so...good?”</p><p class="p1">“Well.” Marcoh said. “Not good, well.”</p><p class="p1">“So...well.” Envy amended.</p><p class="p1">“I do it a lot.” Roy said.</p><p class="p1">“Can...you show me...again?” Envy asked. Roy smiled, he couldn’t help it. It had a look of child-like wonder on its face, as though someone snapping their fingers was something magical and amazing and he was a wonder for being able to do it. It watched wide eyed as he raised his hand again, jumping at the noise when he snapped, but looking delighted all the same. This wasn’t going how he’d thought it would. This wasn’t how it was <em>supposed </em>to be going<em>.</em></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“He was getting too close, he figured out too much. We had to get rid of him or he’d have blown the whole thing. I just…did as Father ordered.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He snapped again and Envy jumped, stillabsolutely fascinated. It raised its hand and he moved its fingers the slightest bit, watching it try one more time.</p><p class="p1">“I...can’t do it…” It sounded disheartenedas it glared at its hand as though the appendage had wronged it.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright,” Roy said, snapping again. “Not everyone can do it.”</p><p class="p1">“Really?” Envy asked. Roy nodded. He stood aiming his hand at the Homunculus, as thought the next snap of his fingers would set it ablaze and, for the briefest of moments, he was in the tunnels and the Envy in front of him wasn’t in awe of his magical ability to make noise by rubbing his fingers together, it was terrified and mournful and in pain.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Did you even feel the slightest bit of guilt?!” He yelled angrily, the Homunculus in front of him healing slowly from its burns, tears in its eyes as it sobbed and gasped for air, on its knees on the ground, not even trying to get to its feet anymore, not trying in the least to fight back, simply taking the punishment as he meted out his vengeance. “Or did youenjoy it?!”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m sorry!” It sobbed, tears turning to screams as he snapped again, the familiar smell of burnt flesh and hair filling his nose. He didn’t care, though…it didn’t matter. As long as Hugh’s murderer suffered, he was one step closer to content. “I-I,” When it had healed enough tospeak properly, it choked out words, answers to his questions, attempts toavoid more pain perhaps… “la...ughed…about i-it…” It said, he raised his hand, preparing to snap again. “I’m s-so…sorry, I…e-en…joyed…it-p-please-not-“</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Again!” Envy pleaded.</p><p class="p1">“Envy, don’t be pushy.” Marcoh scolded. “The General doesn’t have to if he doesn’t want to.”</p><p class="p1">“Sorry…” Envy muttered, twiddling its fingers a bit, a small frown on its face as it lowered its gaze.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright, I can indulge it.” Roy assured the doctor. “It’s not like it’s something that causes great strain.” He said, raising his hand again. That excited smile was back and Envy jumped again when he snapped. It startled every time, whether it knew the noise was coming or not, but it still continued to request one more of him. It was endearing and he was troubled by that fact. He didn’t want to find the creature that had murdered his friend and found joy in the act endearing. He didn’t want to be at peace with it, to not see a monster when he looked at it…but there was no monster in front of him right now, uselessly rubbing their fingers together and glaring at their hand whenever snapping didn’t work. There was nothing anymore.</p><p class="p1">“One...more time?” They requested, giving him the most convincing puppy eyes he’d ever seen not on Black Hayate.</p><p class="p1">“One more time.” Roy conceded with a small, exasperated smile, raising his hand. He saw Marcoh turn his head out of the corner of his eye and followed the doctor’s gaze, eyes widening. “Fullmetal?”</p><p class="p1">“What?” Envy asked, confused, looking towards the window, perking up instantly when they saw the blonde. “Ed!”</p><p class="p1">Roy didn’t say anything, he was struck silent by the look on the young alchemist’s face. His eyes were wide,pupils all but invisible from where Roy stood, lip trembling, body rigid, nothing but absolute horror in his eyes as he stared at Roy standing there in front of Envy, hand raised, ready to snap his fingers. Roy knew right away that Fullmetal was there in body only. His mind was gone, back to that day in the tunnels under Central, when he’d come back to find Roy in the process of burning his lover alive. Envy rushed over to the glass, stumbling a bitalong the way, dropping down onto their knees, sitting on the floor and pressing their palm to the glass, unaware of the situation and simply excited to see their friend. It took a moment for the blonde’s mind to recover enough for him to respond. He gave one of the most shaky, forced smiles Roy had ever seen, and raised his hand, reaching for Envy, who was elated at his efforts.</p><p class="p1">“I think it’s time I left.” Roy said. Marcoh nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I think so.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re…leaving?” Envy asked, looking back at him, smile fading. Roy nodded, ignoring the tightnessin his chest.</p><p class="p1">“I have things to do…Fu-…Ed’ll keep you company, I’m sure.” He said. He smiled, it was small, but it was there. “Maybe don’t…show him the snapping.”</p><p class="p1">“Because...I can’t do it…right?” Envy asked. Roy nodded.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah…yeah, that’s why.” He said. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Envy.”</p><p class="p1">“Nice...to meet you...too.” Envy said, standing back up and returning to their spot in front of Roy, giving another respectful bow. “Thank...you for…coming to visit...me.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re welcome.” Roy said with a smile.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll be right back with Edward, Envy.”Marcoh said. “Wait right here.”</p><p class="p1">“Ok!” Envy said happily. Marcoh led Roy to the door and out of the room.</p><p class="p1">“‘It will get better maybe’…That sounds surprisingly uncertain for you, Doctor.” Roy said, unable to hide the amusement from his voice.</p><p class="p1">“I told them it was possible they would improve someday, but…in…smallerwords.” Marcoh said. “We don’t know anything for certain and, if they never improved, well, while they would forget I said it, I wouldn’t. I can’t bring myself to make them promises that I don’t know if I can keep.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m glad I was rightabout you.” Roy said. “It’s good you’re in charge here, they need someone like you.”</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say something kind about them in any capacity.”Marcoh said. Roy sighed heavily.</p><p class="p1">“Neither did I.” He admitted. “I don’t know what I thought was going to happen whenI went in there with them, but…I didn’t expect what I got.”</p><p class="p1">“Which was?” Marcoh asked.</p><p class="p1">“A refresher on guilt and…almost…a senseof closure…not quite, but…”</p><p class="p1">“Closure?” Marcoh asked.</p><p class="p1">“Seeing them the way they are, empty, not afraid or in pain, strangely enough, it…eased something but…”</p><p class="p1">“But you still feel the weight of being the one to put them here.” Marcoh guessed. Roy nodded. “You did whatyou thought was right at the time.”</p><p class="p1">“I let myself get caught up in my rage and grief, Doctor. Don’t make it sound like it was anything else…We both know it wasn’t.”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh was silent for a moment, before finally speaking up again.</p><p class="p1">“Brace yourself.”</p><p class="p1">“Yeah…” Roy said as they stood at the last door, which opened up to reveal Edward Elric, absolutely livid and glaring cold, hard death at Roy.</p><p class="p1">“What the hell were you doing in there?!” He yelled. Roy shrugged.</p><p class="p1">“Visiting.” He said.</p><p class="p1">“Why? You don’t even like Envy. You wanted to let them die. Ling had to pull out actual threats to the well-being of our <em>country</em> to get you to hear us out and now you’re just popping by for a visit?”</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, seems so.” Roy said. “Speaking of, I’ll let you get to yours.” He got a short ways past Fullmetal before the next question came.</p><p class="p1">“Were you trying to get a rise out of them?”</p><p class="p1">“Excuse me?” Roy turned back to the blonde, who was closing the gap between them.</p><p class="p1">“Snapping your fingers. Were you trying to scare them? Makethem remember what you did?” He asked.Roy was silent. “Were you hoping they’d remember you killing them? Did you want them to suffer again?”</p><p class="p1">“Of course not. That’d gain me nothing.” Roy said.</p><p class="p1">“Then why?” It was, actually, a good question. Why <em>had</em> he brought it up? Had he hoped it <em>would</em> scare Envy? Had he simply wanted to see something of a response from them?</p><p class="p1">“I don’t know.” He confessed. “I have no idea what I thought would happen, why I thought it would be a good idea, anything. I just…did it.”</p><p class="p1">“What if they <em>had </em>remembered?” Fullmetal demanded. “Then what? You’d have them at your mercy again?”</p><p class="p1">“No, that’s-“</p><p class="p1">“Did you even <em>think</em> about what would happen if they remembered what you did to them?!” He deserved the rage to an extent, he was sure of it…but it didn’t stop him from being annoyed by it.</p><p class="p1">“Then I’d have had a quivering, crying little mess cowering at my feet, now, wouldn’t I?” He asked. Fullmetal looked ready to start throwing punches before Marcoh stepped in.</p><p class="p1">“Enough, both of you.” He scolded. “You’ll just upset Envy.”</p><p class="p1">“They can hear us?”Roy asked.</p><p class="p1">“No, the room they’re in is soundproofed.” Fullmetal explained. “Unless we use that microphone or go in by them, they can’t hear anything.”</p><p class="p1">"But they can see just fine.” Marcoh said, making the pair look at the window. Envy was back at the glass, sitting on the floor, palms pressed flat against the clear surface, watching the exchange with concern clear on their face. “That’s enough, you’ll only make things worse.” They stood in silence for a minute, before Marcoh spoke up again. “I’ll bring you to them, Edward.”</p><p class="p1">“Thanks, Doctor.” Fullmetal said quietly, giving Roy one last glare before following the old doctor back towards the door to Envy’s cell. Roy sighed, heading for the door.</p><p class="p1">“General,” Diane said, catching his attention and making him stop. “Is it true what you said before? You’re…the one that ‘killed’ it?” Roy nodded and shesmiled. “That’s amazing, sir. I think it’s admirable, being able to bring down a monster like that.”</p><p class="p1">“Funny, I don’t.” Roy said. “Make sure you do your job properly and let someone know right away if there are any changes. I don’t want to have to go through all the work necessary to replace you…and there’ll be a lot of it.”</p><p class="p1">He took his leave after that, Hugh’s face and Envy’s smile floating about in his head.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Shit, this chapter got long...So, yeah, this didn't go the way I had planned. I wanted to keep Roy in the mindset of "They're terrible and horrible and they deserve to suffer", but the story didn't overly want to do that and it would have seemed unnatural for me to suddenly make him an ass still after everything that the chapter covered. Oh well...Improvisation is the only reason anything I write exists. Next time we'll be chilling with Marcoh.</p><p>Songs from title, incase that matters:<br/><em>Savior of Nothing</em> by Disturbed<br/><em>10th Man Down</em> by Nightwish<br/><em>The Heart of a Graveyard</em> by Demon Hunter<br/><em>Human</em> by Christina Perri<br/><em>Monster You Made</em> by Pop Evil</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Holding What’s Here Now Dearest While Protecting What’s There Still Sleeping</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Marcoh tends to his surrogate child and work regarding their care while we learn more about the doctor's ever changing relationship with the Homunculus both before and after the "restart" and the bond they now share.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ah, yes, more writing scenes I already wrote, but from the point of view of a different character. Honestly, that's harder to do than you'd think it is...for me anyway. Time for a chapter devoted to Doctor Tim Marcoh, trooper that he is, and his 175 year old surrogate child.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em>He’d been shocked by General Mustang’s request-of course he had! The man obviously knew what he’d been through at the hands of the Homunculi and yet…still he’d asked. Still he wanted help looking after the most vile of the seven. The one that had caused the most pain.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“Doctor, it’s dying!” General Mustang said quickly. Now, </em> <b> <em>that</em> </b> <em> had his attention…</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Dying? Homunculi don’t slowly fade away, General.” He said, facing the General while standing at the door. “Their Cores dictate their lives. Once the Philosopher’s Stone at their heart is depleted, they die.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“This is…unusual circumstances.” General Mustang said. Homunculi in general were unusual, how could it possibly get any more so? “Envy’s Core was…in the process of shattering when it was repaired and given more souls…but, its mind didn’t recover. From what I was told, there is a place that can be used to sustain it, but-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Why me?” Marcoh asked. For the moment, he didn’t care about the rest. The details of the situation didn’t matter to him as much as knowing why he was the one hearing them. After he’d found that out, then perhaps the rest would matter. “You know what’s happened between Envy and I, so why come to me?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Because I know you’ll do what’s best and right for your patient.” General Mustang said. “Envy, at this point, according to Fullmetal, is in a comatose state. The main consensus is that it will probably never wake. It is completely and utterly defenseless the way it is now.” Envy being defenseless was new…and both intriguing and unnerving. “It’s known by most in the military now that the Homunculi were behind everything that happened, leaving it in the care of just anyone would be less than ideal. Not only is it responsible for countless deaths and tragedies throughout Amestris’s history, it’s also a living, breathing legend. Something that has never been madesuccessfully before, a Homunculus, an artificial person…If it was conscious, able to communicate and move and assess situations properly and defend itself, I’d care significantly less…but it’s essentially a vegetable, and leaving it in the care of the wrong people could be disastrous for it.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“They killed Maes Hughs…you know that, don’t you?” Marcoh asked. General Mustang nodded, surprising him yet again. It was a very surprising day for the doctor and he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I know…I’m…the reason we’re having this conversation.” The General said, fidgeting a bit. “Hughs was avenged with interest and Envy would be completely gone from this world if not for Fullmetal.”</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>Marcoh sighed. Of </em> <b> <em>course</em> </b> <em> Edward would be the reason Envy was still among the living.</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And the Philospher’s Stone?” He asked. He needed to make sure this wouldn’t turn into another horrible mistake. He’d made enough of those to last him several lifetimes. “Both work on creating one and the one at their heart?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“There will be no more work by the military to create a Stone.” General Mustang said. “The one at Envy’s heart stays where it is, untouched and unknown to anyone that doesn’t absolutely need to know. I’m only asking for your help babysitting a braindead Homunculus, nothing more. I swear.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I see…” Marcoh said. “And you’re certain it has to be me?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>There had to be other people that could do the job that wouldn’t be coming in with an opinion of Envy as…well-developed as his was, hadn’t there? His later interactions with Envy had been less horrible, more perplexing than anything, but they didn’t balance out the pain and emotional bullying. The Envy at the end didn’t make up for the Envy the rest of the way through.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m certain.” General Mustang said with a nod. “Both because you already know just about everything we would have to teach someone new, and because I know you’re a good man. Someone I can trust, someone that won’t abuse or sully the position I give you, that won’t do any harm to someone in your care. I know you’re better than most…certainly myself. You won’t let what happened in the past affect how you treat it and you won’t let anyone get away with any abuse.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>That was something he, honestly, hadn’t entirely thought of. Envy being the abused was a foreign concept to him. They were rough, and cruel, and powerful and aggravatingly determined to come out the victor…not something weak and in need of protecting. Not the monster he remembered anyway. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And re-enlisting is a must for this?” Marcoh asked. General Mustang nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m afraid so.” He said. “The facility it’ll be housed in is being taken under military control. A civilian position wouldn’t afford you nearly as much pull as a military rank. I’ll be in charge of it, but I need someone to head the place, to run it…to take care of it and its secrets.” He slid a file across the desk, waiting for Marcoh to make a move. The old doctor finally approached the desk, giving in to curiosity and picking up the file to look through it. He hadn’t entirely been expecting what he found written there, given that their topic of conversation was Envy of all things.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“These documents are for R and D labs for medical equipment and supplies.” He said. General Mustang nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“There was a hospital in the building above the facility, but it was shut down after being damaged in the attack on Central.” He explained. “We’re reopening it as research labs for things that, quite frankly, I know you’ll excel at. I needed it to be a place that made sense for you to head. No experimentation on living things, no forbidden alchemy, just trying to make new ways to help people.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh paged through the papers more. everything checked out. It all made sense and was written in extreme, irrefutable detail in black and white with Mustang’s signature in all the right places. General Mustang wascompletely serious about the intended purpose of the building. He finally looked away from the words and back at the General, who was unable to completely hide his hopefulness and apprehension.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“And Envy?” He asked. “Where do they fit in?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>General Mustang looked like he’d been expecting that question.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The facility it will be housed in is buried deep under the old hospital. Greed said their father put labs under the hospital to explain away anything odd that Envy’s little prison might stir up. They were doing research into transforming the human body. Messy, nasty attempts to make super soldiers without the unpredictability of trying to make a Chimera with a human mind.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Awful, inhumane, shocking…a perfect cover.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Something suitably awful to make people believe it couldn’t get any worse, that what they saw was all there was.” Marcoh said. General Mustang nodded. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“If I’m being honest, the facility’s got kind of a depressing reason for existing in the first place.” He said. Marcoh cocked his head the slightest bit. It gotworse than human experimentation? Who was he kidding, of course it did! He knew full well it did. “According to Greed, Father could take them back into his body, reclaim his sins until he made a new Homunculus to house them…except Envy.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Why not Envy?”Marcoh asked. He’d learned a great deal about the Homunculi over his time with them, but their father playing favorites was new. “What made them different?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“He didn’t want it back.” General Mustang said simply. “He would take back any other sin except his envy. That, he never wanted back. To the point of building someplace capable of indefinitely sustaining it if ever it wasn’t of use anymore. To imprison it so he would never have to experience what it was housing again.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“My god…” Marcoh murmured. He’d known the Homunculi housed their father’s sins, he’d known they were, however subconsciously it was, incapable of not acting on those sins…but the idea that Envy was so hated for what they’d been made to carry by the one that had made them carry it was shocking. To go to the lengths of building a place to put them so what they had no choice but to feel every day would never return to their creator was extreme and unfair. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <b> <em>“There’s a lot about our situation that’s bullshit…It’s just…hard to see without someone else pointing it out.”</em> </b>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>He’d overheard Envy say that to their brother, Greed at one point. Did they know that their father was all set tobetray them the second they were at their weakest? Was that where those words had come from?</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’ll do it.” Marcoh said finally, cutting off the General. He had no idea how much Envy knew about their precarious situation before, and now he doubted he ever would, but he felt very strongly that they shouldn’t be abandoned when they needed help the most. That was unfair, for anyone. Even someone as terrible as Envy. General Mustang sat up straight.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Really?” He asked. Marcoh nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I…can’t leave them like that. I’ll take on the position.” He said. It didn’t mean he’d forgiven Envy, it didn’t mean he’d forgotten everything they’d done, and it didn’t mean he had any plans on doing so any time soon…but he wouldn’t let that get in the way. They needed someone that would be better than they had been watching over them. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“You’ll re-enlist?” General Mustang asked. Marcoh nodded. If it was necessary to give him everything he needed to do his job properly, to treat his patient as best as he was able, then he would do it…although the irony of the situation was far from lost on him. “You have no idea how grateful I am for this.” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Oh, he had an idea, given Edward had been mentioned. Edward Elric was a young man that devoted himself completely and utterly to those he cared about, to the detriment of himself and neglect of almost everything else.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><b> <em>“The crazy fuck loves me. Can you believe that, Doc? Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, ‘Hero of the People’…and he’s in love with the enemy.” </em> </b> <em>Envy had been smirking, wide and amused when they’d said that, pride at having lassoed one of their father’s precious sacrifices shone in their eyes…At least, he’d thought it was the pride of a deceiver…until the smirk faded and the pride turned to self-deprecation and defeat.</em> <b> <em> “And, the obnoxious little shit be damned, I’m no better…” </em> </b> <em>They’d looked at him, smiling almost sadly. “</em> <b> <em>Pretty pathetic, isn’t it? Me, Envy, willing to go against my own father for some human…I could be remade, or worse…but, Ed’s worth it…He’s worth it, Doc.”</em> </b></p><p class="p1">
  <em>He’d take the position, for those words, to protect someone that couldn’t protectthemselves, and to make sure Edward didn’t lose another loved one.</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He sat at the console below Envy’s window, going through paperwork for the research labs as the Homunculus sat at the glass, watching the comings and goings. He had an office, a proper desk, but he chose to stay in the underground facility to do his work to avoid leaving Envy alone. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the people under his command, he just…preferred to be there himself. He enjoyed seeing the wide smile on Envy’s face when he arrived every day, enjoyed teaching them things and seeing the look of wonder on their face at some of the most simple things. He had to admit, while General Mustang’s attempt to teach Envy to snap had, for a brief moment, scared the life out of him, their excitement was nice to see…It didn’t give back the years he’d lost the first time the General had snapped his fingers, but it had greatly shortened the mourning period. Envy had attempted to master snapping for the next few days, but seemed to have finally given up on it. It was probably for the best, Edward hadn’t responded all that well to the whole ordeal and it had taken a while for him to calm down enough for them to actually enter Envy’s room. Marcoh couldn’t really blame him, he’d been less than pleased with General Mustang as well. He’d just…sworn and ranted significantly less than Edward had when all was said and done. He looked up at Envy, who smiled and put their hand to the glass. He returned the smile and reached out towards them, their smile broadened and, for a brief moment, he desperately hoped they never regained their lost memories. That they stayed the way they were for the rest of his life. He’d grown so fond of them in his time tending to them, and he would miss the subdued, childlike version he’d become so used to seeing. He knew that it was a selfish hope, that his goal should always be the betterment of his patient…but that didn’t change anything. He supposed it was just a curse of being human.</p><p class="p1">“Doctor, you know you have an office you can use, right?” Doctor Warley asked as he approached Marcoh, catching the old doctor’s attention. “You don’t have to stay down here.”</p><p class="p1">“I know…I just…” Marcoh looked back at Envy for a moment, watching them lightly touching the thin circlet attaching to the points on their forehead. He frowned lightly, pushing the button by the microphone. “Envy, no, don’t play with that.” He said gently. Envy stopped immediately, hands returning to their lap, eyes on the doctor, brow furrowed in confusion. “It’s very important that you not touch that. Like your back. Remember?” They nodded. “Very good.” They smiled broadly, always quick to absorb and appreciate any reassurance and praise they received. Some things, he supposed, hadn’t changed between what they were now and who they’d been before. “When I’ve finished with my work, would you like to learn more letters?” They nodded, smile still in place. He didn’t expect them to be able to master proper reading and writing for quite some time yet, but they seemed to enjoy learning the alphabet…and he had a feeling the reason why had just entered the room, going by Envy’s sudden change in behavior. They scooted quickly over to the edge of the window closest to the door, up on their knees, a wide smile on their face, both palms pressed to the glass. He turned to follow their gaze and, just as he’d thought, Lieutenant Hawkeye had entered the room. She was giving Envy a smile and reaching towards the glass with one hand. They sat back, leaving one hand against the glass, watching her approach Doctor Marcoh, all smiles.</p><p class="p1">“They’re in a good mood.” The Lieutenant said. Marcoh nodded.</p><p class="p1">“They always cheer up when you come to visit.” He said. “What have you brought today?”</p><p class="p1">She held out a worn book and a square basket with some cloth covering its contents.</p><p class="p1">“Cinnamon scones, and <em>The Little Mermaid</em>.” She said as he lifted the cloth a bit to see the tasty treats. “Care to sample one before they eat all of them?”</p><p class="p1">“I would love one.” Marcoh said as he took a scone, admiring the swirl and small chunks of cinnamon throughout it and thin layer of vanilla icing on top. “Are these homemade?”</p><p class="p1">“I might be catching a bit of baking fever. Winry’s pie inspired me and I’ve been at it ever since.” Lieutenant Hawkeye admitted. She offered a scone to Doctor Warley when she noticed him looking their way. He shook his head.</p><p class="p1">“I should get back to work. Seems we’ll be needing to take readings in a while.” He said, the Lieutenant gave a curt nod.</p><p class="p1">“Sorry to make more work for you.” She said. He waved dismissively.</p><p class="p1">“On with your visit.” He said. She smiled and made her way to the door, Marcoh initiating the drawn out process of letting her into Envy’s room.</p><p class="p1">“I wonder how much it understands when she reads to it.” Diane said thoughtfully, “Its level of comprehension isn’t all that high.”</p><p class="p1">“Envy is a long way away from where they were when they first woke.” Marcoh said. “And, honestly, much farther along than I thought they’d ever get.”</p><p class="p1">He watched them stand up, stumbling in their excitement as they hurried over to greet Lieutenant Hawkeye. They bowed, greeted her, and absolutely beamed when she gave them a few gentle strokes on the head as she said her hellos, a fond smile on her face.</p><p class="p1">“She’s wasted on that thing.” The third technician at the console said. “It barely understands half the things she reads to it, I’m sure of it. There’s so many more useful things she could be doing.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s not about time spent usefully, it’s about time spent satisfactorily.” Marcoh said. “Lieutenant Hawkeye enjoys her visits, she gets satisfaction and joy from her time spent here. That’s what matters.”</p><p class="p1">“Well said, Doctor.” General Mustang said as he came up behind the doctor.</p><p class="p1">“Here with the Lieutenant, I take it?” Marcoh asked, turning to address him, standing up respectfully for the senior officer, who motioned for him to relax.</p><p class="p1">“Actually, I came on my own and met Lieutenant Hawkeye on the way in.” The General said. “Would it be too much if I joined them?”</p><p class="p1">“I’ll ask.” Marcoh said, turning back to the console, pushing the button by the microphone. “Envy.” The Homunculus looked at him, crumbs and icing on their face as Lieutenant Hawkeye brought out a napkin. He sighed and shook his head a bit. “Please clean your face.” Envy jumped a bit when they were presented with a napkin, but took it and wiped themselves clean before crawling over to the window, looking at the doctor, Lieutenant Hawkeye seated on the floor against the left wall. “Would you like the General to join you?”</p><p class="p1">Envy looked confused for a moment, before they caught sight of General Mustang. He reached for the glass and they smiled, putting their palm against it. Marcoh let him through, pleasantly surprised with him. He’d thought him a man that would be harder to sway, but there he was, his second official visit, and his fifth time checking in in general since he first interacted with Envy. Marcoh had a feeling part of it might be guilt for being the one to turn Envy into what they were now, if only because of how much it hurt Edward. It was no secret General Mustang had a bit of a soft spot for the young alchemist and his brother.</p><p class="p1">“You were talking about time wasted before?” Diane said, glancing at the third technician, who snickered. Doctor Marcoh cleared his throat loudly and set the pair with a stern glare. They quickly went back to work, sitting in silence as Envy greeted General Mustang, who patted them on the head, saying something. They nodded, then quickly returned to Lieutenant Hawkeye’s side, sitting down next to her and, at her gentle coaxing and direction, offered their new visitor a scone, which he accepted, sitting down next to the Homunculus as they cozied up next to the Lieutenant and watched her open the book she’d brought. He watched for a while as she read calmly, Envy looking from the pages to her and back repeatedly, General Mustang munching on a scone and watching the pair.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What would you say…if I offered to just…leave the door open?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What would you say if I offered to let you escape?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“My honest opinion?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t…know if I’d believe you.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Thought as much…Well, enjoy your dinner.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Envy tapped Lieutenant Hawkeye on the shoulder, saying something. She responded with the patience of a saint and a small smile, pointing to something on the page she’d been reading from and explaining something to them, General Mustang watching with a small smile on his face. It was a far cry from that day, asking questions about a book instead of an escape, the roles so very reversed, the positions and circumstances so very different.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><em>“Hey, Doc, dinnertime.” Envy said as they opened the door to the room he was being kept in. “…Not that you ate lunch or breakfast, but still. It’s the principle of the thing.” They set the tray of food down on the table by the others, sitting down with a small huff. He waited for the jabs and insults…but they never came. “You know, you </em> <b> <em>will</em> </b> <em> die eventually if you keep this up.” They looked at him, a small frown on their face. “I mean, that’s the point, I’m sure, but…still…Wouldn’t that be…I don’t know…a waste?”</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“When have you ever thought of a human dying as a waste?” Marcoh asked. Envy shrugged.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Pretty much never.” They said. “It’s, uh…crossed my mind a few times lately, though.” They picked up the fork off the tray, pushing the food on the plate around with it. They’d been staying more lately, instead of dropping off the food, mocking him and leaving. It was as though they wanted to talk to someone…but he was all there was. It was a peculiar switch and it made him a little nervous, if he was being honest. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“That’s peculiar for you.” He observed. Envy gave a brief laugh.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“A lot’s been peculiar for me lately, Doc.” They said. “I’m…doing a lot more thinking than I did before…about a lot of things I never really considered before…and it’s…confusing, and…frustrating…and a little concerning…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Is it about Edward?” He asked, going out on a limb. He didn’t overly want to converse with Envy, he knew it wouldn’t lead anywhere productive for him, and the thought that they could be as horrible as they had been to him and then suddenly go to him for a lent ear was a tad insulting to him. They sighed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Fuck him, Doc.” They said. “He’s…ruining me and I desperately don’t want him to.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“…Because you don’t want to be in love with a human?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Pretty much.” Envy said. “Not that that changes anything, but still.” They looked at him, frown shifting to an amused smirk. “Didn’t think I’d admit it, did you?” He shook his head, he very much had not. He’d thought mentioning Edward and bringing up their affection for him would anger them and send them storming out…this was…new. New and as nerve wracking as it was intriguing. Envy sat in silence for a while after that, smirk gone, replaced with a contemplative scowl. Finally they set the fork down. “I wish things were different.” They muttered as they stood up. “Well, I’ll leave you to slowly starving to death.” Marcoh watched them make their way to the door and pause in the doorway. “…Hey, Doc?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh sat silently for a moment, until he realized Envy was waiting for an answer from him.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes?” He asked cautiously. Envy’s grip on the doorknob tightened as they took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What would you say…if I offered to just…leave the door open?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh took a long time to process that statement…and fell short.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What?” He asked. If this was a joke, it wasn’t funny…at least, not to him. Envy turned to face him again and he was shocked by the look on their face. They meant it. The question had been serious.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What would you say if I offered to let you escape?” They asked again. He shifted a bit, looking away.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“My honest opinion?” He asked finally. Envy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes.” They said.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t…know if I’d believe you.” He said, looking back at them finally. They smiled, small and sad.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Thought as much…” They said quietly before putting on a properly haughty grin, straightening up and standing tall, all highly convincing…had he not just seen them so down less than a second prior. “Well, enjoy your dinner.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>He watched them close the door behind themselves, ending out sitting there on his bed for a long time, mulling things over. He didn’t know how long he’d been lost in his own head, and only left it with a start when someone turned the knob on the door to his room.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Fucking dumbass, you left the door unlocked.” He heard Greed say.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“Shut up, Greed,” Envy snapped as Greed peeked in, noticing the doctor still sitting on the bed, and closing the door. “I’m doing everything Lust used to </em> <b> <em>and</em> </b> <em> everything I was before she was killed, I’m allowed to forget things once in a while.” </em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What if he’d escaped, you idiot?” Greed demanded, Marcoh listening to the sound of the door locking as the two continued to argue. Once the voices had faded, he moved to the table and began to eat his dinner.</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He sat at home that night, going over Doctor Warley’s notes and the technician, Adam’s diagrams for alterations to the attachments hooked up to Envy’s weak points. The nodes attached to their forehead were wirelessly linked to the same equipment the cords on their back were attached to, and they plugged easily into an attachment that descended from the ceiling when in the large cylinder that rose from the floor in their room. It gave them a direct link to Envy’s brain and all the information therein…Or, at least, that’s what he’d been told and read throughout everything that had been left behind about the place. The readings they took were supposed to be used to ensure Envy wasn’t deteriorating, to ensure any issues were seen to promptly so their life would continue indefinitely. He didn’t want to simply keep them locked up there, though. If they’d been the same as when he’d first met them, then he would have had few issues with keeping them locked away in their soundproof room, deep underground, away from everyone and everything else…but, they were as far from who they’d once been as they could possibly get, and this new version of them deserved every possible chance to grow and learn. If they could alter the machinery, or build onto what was already there, make it possible for Envy to leave their room and walk around, there would be so many more possibilities for them to see more of the world around them. A world that, right now, only existed in stories and pictures and gifts from their visitors. Marcoh wanted more for them. He wanted this Envy, this pure, innocent version of the Homunculus, to receive everything they’d never had while living under their father’s command. He wanted them to feel wanted and appreciated. He wanted them to know what it was like to have friends, connections, bonds, people that cared about them for no other reason than they were them. The original Envy’s rage stemmed from lack of love and appreciation and connection. This one, he’d told himself after they woke, would have no reason to hate, to covet, to hide what they really wanted for the sake of their pride. This Envy would have the life the old one had so badly wanted. Whatever he had to do to make sure they felt no hate or anger or sadness, he would do for them. General Mustang had been right, joking, but right, it seemed…He didn’t see a job when he looked at Envy. No, he saw someone that had become dear to him. Those eyes had done it. They’d been so full of fear and confusion, and he’d wanted to soothe them. He hadn’t taken time to remind himself that it was Envy he was looking at, his nature had been stronger than that. Something he was deeply thankful for now.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>He’d been in Envy’s room, taking readings on a handheld monitor when the spike in activity had happened. Their brain had started to increase in function suddenly. He looked away from the screen, jumping back when he saw them opening their eyes. Foggy and dilated violet eyes moved back and forth slowly, taking in the empty room and lone man standing in it. Trying to move was when problems began for them. It took a moment for them to fully realize their range of motion was being limited and they began to panic when it completely sunk in, hands pressing flat against the glass as they tried to move their head against the equipment hooked up to their forehead, legs trembling and kicking weakly as their eyes filled with disconcertion and panic. Their mouth moved but no actual words came out, only garbled sounds he could barely hear through the glass. He stood in shock for a moment, until the tears started and he found himself in motion, standing at the glass, hands pressed against it over theirs, meeting their gaze as they began to gasp for breath while crying. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor Marcoh,” Doctor Warley’s voice filled the air, “Is everything alright?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>He shook his head, eyes never leaving Envy, who held his gaze, eyes wide and teary, pupils hair-thin slits. “What would you like us to do?” He thought on that for a while, what would be best? Envy was still frightened, leaving them in the cylinder would be the safest bet, but he doubted it would do their psychological health any favors. While there was a corner of his mind that told him to let the Homunculus be, that they would calm down eventually, the far more prominent part said the opposite. There was no way for him to verbally communicate with the outside, the room was soundproof. Envy had been excellent with words when they’d wanted to be, and one of the best actors he’d ever come across, they were made to trick humans, and the room they were now kept in had been made to ensure they couldn’t do so. He patted the glass with his hands, looking quickly at the closest camera, nodding towards the cylinder. “You…want us to let it out?” Doctor Warley asked, perplexed, if his tone of voice was anything to go by. Marcoh nodded. “I advise against that, Doctor.” Marcoh gave the camera a firm glare and, after a moment, Doctor Warley’s voice returned, exasperated but resigned. “On your own head be it then…Would you like an officer in with you?” Marcoh shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to risk overwhelming Envy so quickly. They were dangerous enough when they were in their right mind, but now, he could tell, something wasn’t right. If they felt cornered, overwhelmed, things would only go poorly. “As you say then…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>The cylinder began to descend, the extension attached to their forehead unplugged itself and rose towards the ceiling, the vacuum that had kept them suspended was released and they collapsed to the ground, breaths coming in short gasps as they continued to panic. Marcoh instantly knelt to their level as they began to regain proper movement. He could hear their sobs more clearly now, see the desperation to get out as they pushed the glass, hands scrabbling as it continued to move down while they touched it. They managed to get their feet under them, but collapsed quickly when they tried to put too much weight on them, still too weak from lack of use to manage standing. </em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“Envy,” Marcoh said gently, “Envy, calm down, focus…Envy!” They yelped but stilled, eyes still wide with fright, trapped in place, looking at the doctor. “It’s alright.” He offered a hand. “It’s alright. You’re safe.” They watched him for a long time as the glass tube finally disappeared into the floor. The sliding panel that covered it, though, ruined everything, startling them, eliciting a scream as they crawled and scrambled away from it, grabbing hold of Marcoh’s coat and hiding against him, as though the danger only existed if they could see it. His earlier assessment of there being something wrong seemed…inadequate now. He stroked their hair gently as they trembled and hid, still crying. Something was </em> <b> <em>extremely</em> </b> <em> wrong. “It’s alright…” He murmured as soothingly as he could manage given the situation. “It’s alright now, you’re safe. No one will hurt you.” The trembling took a long time to die down, the tears taking even longer to stop flowing, but eventually, they did, and all that was left was ragged breathing and some rather pathetic sounding sniffles. They finally looked up at him, eyes empty and shining with tears, lip trembling a bit, face flushed and tear streaked. They looked so helpless, so weak and small and afraid…They didn’t look like Envy at all. He had no idea who he was comforting, who had been left in his care, but it wasn’t Envy. Not the one he’d been acquainted with. “Do you…know me?” They sniffled, eyes narrowing a bit in concentration, before shaking their head. “Oh dear…”</em></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Oh, Edward, hello.” Marcoh greeted as he made his way to Breda’s checkpoint.</p><p class="p1">“Morning, Doctor Marcoh.” Edward greeted with a smile.</p><p class="p1">“Doctor.” Breda greeted.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning, Lieutenant Breda.” Marcoh said with a smile.</p><p class="p1">“The General’s in there, just as a heads up.” Breda said as he pulled the lever to open the elevator.</p><p class="p1">“Mustang?” Edward asked, sounding surprised…and instantly irked and on guard. “What’s he doing here?”</p><p class="p1">“Not sure but he said he wasn’t leaving until he’d ‘done it’.” Breda said. “He’s been here a lot lately.”</p><p class="p1">“Carefully avoiding me, I noticed.” Edward muttered. Breda shrugged.</p><p class="p1">“You don’t like him…and he said he didn’t want to deal with a temperamental brat that would only sour everyone’s mood if they shared a room with him.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m punching him straight in the teeth when I see him…” Edward growled as he stepped onto the elevator. Marcoh followed.</p><p class="p1">“General Mustang has been a model visitor, Edward.” He said. “Envy is actually growing quite fond of him.”</p><p class="p1">“He’s the reason Envy’s here. He doesn’t deserve any of what they give him.” Edward said. “He’s only here because he feels guilty, anyway.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m not sure about that, Edward.” Marcoh said thoughtfully. “The General seems to genuinely enjoy his time here…which, honestly, still surprises me.”</p><p class="p1">“Envy’s easy to fall for like this.” Edward said. “Everyone loves someone as sweet and innocent and unassuming as they are. There’s nothing they could be hiding or plotting. There’s no deeper agenda or alterior motives if they’re kind to you. They’re an open book.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, they do tend to wear their heart on their sleeve, don’t they?” Marcoh asked with a smile. Edward nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I hope they never stop.” He said. “This way, they get everything they wanted…Well, everything the Envy they were wanted anyway…”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh’s smile faded and he gave Ed a sympathetic look.</p><p class="p1">“They’ll get that life, Edward.” He assured them. “Even if it’s only the few of us that give it to them, they’ll get it.” He hesitated before speaking up again. “Just…remember they’ll more than likely never be who they were, and they’ll more than likely never remember…” He trailed off when Ed nodded.</p><p class="p1">“I know…I know, I’ll…probably never get them back. We’ll…we’ll never be ‘us’ again, I’m sure, but…but I’m not leaving them…This is enough. Seeing them smile is all I need.” He said. They entered the room to find General Roy Mustang sitting on the floor in Envy’s room, a pained look on his face and a notebook on the floor between him and Envy, who looked elated, looking down at the paper as General Mustang forced a smile for them.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning, Doctor, Colonel Elric.” Doctor Warley greeted.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning, Doctor Warley.” Marcoh said with a smile, Edward’s eyes narrowed as he watched The General draw something, then pass the pencil to Envy.</p><p class="p1">“What the hell is he doing?” He asked.</p><p class="p1">“The General is playing tic-tac-toe with it.” Doctor Warley explained. “He has been for about forty-five minutes now.”</p><p class="p1">“Tic-tac-toe?” Edward asked, confused.</p><p class="p1">“Yes, he said he wasn’t leaving until he won.” Doctor Warley said.</p><p class="p1">“Wait, Envy’s kicking Mustang’s ass at tic-tac-toe and has been for forty-five minutes?” Edward asked, sounding and looking close to laughing.</p><p class="p1">“Seems that way, sir.” Doctor Warley said.</p><p class="p1">“I need to see this.” Edward said. “Doctor Marcoh, I need to get in there.”</p><p class="p1">“Patience, Edward.” Marcoh said, walking over to the window, Envy noticing him and abandoning their game, crawling quickly over to the window and putting their palm to it, a wide, joyful smile on their face as they looked out at him. He smiled back, raising his hand towards the glass. Edward came up next to him and Envy pressed their other palm to the window as well, excitement never fading as the young alchemist reached for them. Marcoh pushed the button by the microphone.</p><p class="p1">“May we join you?” He asked. Envy nodded and Edward was the first to the door.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor Marcoh,” Doctor Warley’s voice filled the room again as Marcoh sat in the corner of the small, windowless room, Envy pressed to his side firmly, curled in on themselves, still gripping his coat. They jumped when the speakers crackled and hid again and Marcoh sighed heavily. He looked at the nearest camera. “Colonel Elric is here.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh sighed, this would be…difficult. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I need to go.” He said. “There’s something I need to do.” Envy’s eyes widened and they shook their head, they didn’t want to be alone in this strange new place. He couldn’t blame them, he wouldn’t either, but he still needed to go meet Edward. “I’ll come right back, I promise. There’s just one thing I need to do.” They shook their head again, pleading with their eyes, grip on his coat tightening. “I’m sorry, I need to do this.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor, do you need assistance?” Doctor Warley asked. Marcoh shook his head. “Colonel Elric is-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor Marcoh,” Edward’s voice came over the speakers, his concern evident, “what happened? Where’s…What’s…what’s going on?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I need to go see the person talking. I’ll come back, I promise.” Marcoh said. Envy shook their head vigorously, starting to cry again. He sighed heavily. He had reservations about bringing Edward in at this point, about anyone else coming in at all even. Envy’s mental state was all wrong, and he didn’t want to risk anyone triggering any sort of fight or flight response. “What if I leave my coat for you?” He offered. “Then I have to come back to get it, and you have something to hold.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>This brought them pause and he could see the gears turning behind their eyes…the speed and condition of those gears was up in the air, but at least they were still turning. It took a long time, long enough for Doctor Warley to check in again and start the process over almost entirely from the beginning, and several reminders of what exactly they were supposed to be contemplating, but finally, Envy nodded, agreeing to his terms. “Alright.” He took off the lab coat he wore over his uniform and draped it over Envy’s lap. They gripped it tightly with both hands, watching him stand with wide, nervous eyes, already tearing up. “I’ll come right back, I promise.” He assured them before making his exit. He met Edward at the door and held up his hand to keep the young man quiet. “We need to talk.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I didn’t think you normally arrived this early, Fullmetal.” General Mustang said as he and Envy both stood to greet Marcoh and Edward.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, just…in the neighborhood.” Edward said easily, a wide grin on his face as he leaned to the side to see the notebook on the floor. General Mustang inched over, hiding it.</p><p class="p1">“Your apartment is almost all the way across the city, there’s no way you were ‘in the neighborhood’ this early.” He said, eyeing Edward suspiciously. The young alchemist shrugged.</p><p class="p1">“In the market for a new place. There’s a few vacant flats around here.” He said, pausing when Envy stopped in front of him to give them a smile. “Hi, Envy.” He greeted, gently stroking their hair. “Good morning.”</p><p class="p1">They smiled broadly.</p><p class="p1">“Hello…oh…um…good morning.” They said, giving the respectful bow they’d been taught. Their focus turned to Marcoh when he stepped forward. “Roy...is teaching me…” They narrowed their eyes in concentration, “tic…tac…toe.”</p><p class="p1">“Good job, first try this time.” General Mustang said with a smile, Envy beamed at the praise and Marcoh patted them on the head. “They kept calling it tip-tap-go.”</p><p class="p1">“I like that better, everyone should call it that.” Edward said.</p><p class="p1">“You know they need to learn the proper words for things, Edward.” Marcoh said. The blonde sighed.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, I know. As much fun as it is to hear the names they come up with.” He looked at his commanding officer. “And, um…’Roy’?”</p><p class="p1">“Thought it’d be easier for them to remember.” The General said with a shrug as he averted his gaze again. “Well, if you’re here, I’ll head out. I have someone to meet for brunch.”</p><p class="p1">“A date this early?” Edward asked teasingly as General Mustang picked up the notebook.</p><p class="p1">“No, it’s an official from the northern branch. He’s here to tour the facility to see if there’s anything they can offer that we might not have here.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re…leaving?” Envy asked, visibly saddened by that. The General swallowed audibly then cleared his throat.</p><p class="p1">“Yes. I’ll come back and we can play some more later.” He said. Envy drooped and he sighed, approaching them and patting their head a bit. “It’s important or I’d stay.” He assured them. “Maybe I’ll beat the person I’m going to see.”</p><p class="p1">“‘Good...luck’.” Envy said, parroting more than conversing, from the sounds of it. They giggled a bit when General Mustang ruffled their hair.</p><p class="p1">“Good memory.” He said.</p><p class="p1">“Thank...you!” Envy said cheerily. “Thank...you for visiting...me.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re welcome.” The General said with a smile. “Fullmetal, Doctor Marcoh.”</p><p class="p1">“General.” Edward said, stealing a glance at the notebook as his superior passed him. “He didn’t win a single one.” He said when the door closed behind him. “Seems the General’s got a weak spot.”</p><p class="p1">“It would seem so, yes.” Marcoh said with a smile and a nod. “Not that you’re much different.”</p><p class="p1">Edward cringed and looked away.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, well…you know…” He muttered. Envy tilted their head a bit.</p><p class="p1">“Are…you bad at…tic…tac…toe too?” They asked. Edward sighed heavily.</p><p class="p1">“Yup.” He said, clearly resigning himself to a similar fate as that of General Mustang…losing on purpose for as long as Envy fell for it. Then again, Marcoh knew there was very little Edward wouldn’t do for Envy. Losing a game on purpose was barely the tip of the iceberg for him. Edward had already sacrificed for Envy’s sake, even before they’d woken up. He’d been talking about retiring from the military once the dust from the final battle with Father had settled. General Mustang had already said he’d allow him on the premises whether he was enlisted or not, and if anyone out there deserved a life out of the public eye and free of military duties, it was the young man that had saved their country…Until there’d been a discussion as to whether or not the damaged hospital hiding Envy’s prison should be fixed up and used as per General Mustang’s proposal, or torn down and turned into private residences. Marcoh wasn’t sure how the discussions had gone, it had all been private between the highest ranked officers and the Führer himself. What he knew for sure was that Edward’s talk of retirement had stopped abruptly. Shortly after, it had been decided that the hospital <em>would</em> be repaired and repurposed. He’d disappeared for a while during repairs on the building as well and no one Marcoh had asked knew where he’d gone. Even General Mustang had been in the dark and he was Edward’s commanding officer. Marcoh had asked Edward about it when he’d returned, but hadn’t gotten much of a response. He’d let it drop after that, he knew better than to ask too many questions where the military was concerned throughout his career. He watched Edward getting as many details on his superior’s long string of defeats as he could, relaxed, smiling, happy to see the person he was still in love with, even if they had no memory of loving him.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What do you mean I can’t see them?” Edward demanded. “They’re…they’re finally awake. I just…” He looked away and Marcoh felt no end of guilt at having to turn him away, but it would only do more damage than good bringing him in at this point. Envy was too unsteady, too unstable to handle too much more than they’d already experienced since waking up. “What’s wrong with them?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Excuse me?” Marcoh asked, brow furrowed. Edward looked at him again.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“What’s wrong with them?” He repeated. “You don’t want me in there, so something’s wrong…right?” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Edward-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I can see the screens, Doctor Marcoh. They’re hiding. Envy doesn’t hide from anything. Even if they know damn well they should, they don’t back down from anything. You know that as well as I do…So, what’s wrong with them?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh sighed, Edward was too sharp for anyone’s good and knew Envy far too well.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I don’t know.” He confessed. “They woke up several hours ago, and…” Here it was, the hammer blow. “I’m sorry, Edward, they…they don’t appear to have any memory of anything that happened before their death.” </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Edward was silent for a long time, just staring, a bewildered look on his face as he processed what he was being told. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“They…they don’t remember anything?” He asked quietly, voice shaking a bit. Marcoh shook his head.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Nothing at all.” He said. “Not even their name. I’m…not sure if that’s where the damage ends yet, though.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I…I see…” Edward murmured, still in shock. “Is-“ He turned away quickly and Marcoh did him the courtesy of not commenting on the ragged breathing as he quickly rushed to keep his composure. “Is there anything you can do, or…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m not sure yet.” Marcoh said. “This place was made to hold them, not heal them. The fact that they’re even awake right now is astonishing.” He looked at the screen, Envy was leaning against the wall in the corner they’d been left in, hiding as best they could under his coat, curled up as small as they could manage. “It…will take time for me to establish their mental state and whether or not they can be helped…When that’s happened, I’ll feel more comfortable letting you in by them, but…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“But, until then…” Edward looked at the monitors, doing a commendable job of keeping a calm facade up, “this is…as close as I get…right?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m sorry, I really am.” Marcoh apologized. He knew this had to be breaking Edward heart, but he had to stand firm. It was for the best. “I wish it could be different, Edward, I mean that.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s alright…They come first.” Edward said firmly. “They always have to come first. Don’t worry about me…help them.”</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>He had always been aware, his entire time knowing Edward Elric, of the young man’s strength and devotion. His inability to put himself first had always impressed and concerned Marcoh, and it had made figuring out what about him Envy had found appealing difficult. The two were as far apart personality-wise as could be managed, and their drastically different views on the world and humanity threw him as well whenever he thought about how smitten Envy had been…he’d finally figured it out, though. Envy, under all the bravado and barbarousness, </em> <b> <em>wanted</em> </b> <em> someone to care about them, they </em> <b> <em>wanted</em> </b> <em> devotion and sacrifice and affection and everything Edward Elric was known for. He devoted himself completely and utterly, he cared ceaselessly and deeply, and he asked for little to nothing in return. On top of that, he was known for his endurance, his strength and ability to come back swinging from almost anything that happened to him. He was powerful and tenacious and intelligent enough to rise about all the others even at a young age. He was human, but he was everything Envy had craved, everything they had claimed humans weren’t. Edward was an anomaly among his species, so of course Envy had fallen for him. He’d long since given up on trying to figure out what had attracted Edward to Envy, though. By all accounts, he should have found them detestable and yet his love for the Homunculus was obvious. It didn’t matter in the end, though. What mattered was on that monitor, hiding under a lab coat in an empty room. Edward knew it, and he’d make sure no one else ever forgot it.</em></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“And this one?” Marcoh asked, pointing to the large capital ‘e’ written on the paper set on the floor of Envy’s room.</p><p class="p1">“B-…” Envy paused, staring at the E for a moment. They were having trouble with B through E, the letters were similar enough to them that the order was difficult for them to remember. Finally, they looked at him. “Ee.”</p><p class="p1">“Very good.” Marcoh said happily. The visits from Lieutenant Hawkeye had prompted Envy to want to learn to read. It was…going. Marcoh couldn’t entirely say it was going well, but it wasn’t going poorly either. Envy’s memory was improving, and would only continue to do so the more their mind worked, but it wasn’t anywhere near what was needed to master much more than a bit of the alphabet and perhaps some numbers. Their ability to write and draw was wobbly at best as well. General Mustang’s increasingly frequent tic-tac-toe marathons were the first real time the Homunculus had done anything involving holding a writing implement. He’d been impressed when he’d come in to see Envy drawing the X’s and O’s and comprehending the rules of the game as well as they seemed to. It couldn’t have been a quick process teaching them, and General Mustang was to be commended for the effort he had to have put in to manage it. At some point, he’d have to ask what had possessed the man to take up the task, he was genuinely curious.</p><p class="p1">“Doctor Marcoh?” Envy spoke up, pulling him from his thoughts.</p><p class="p1">“Hm? Yes, Envy?” Marcoh asked.</p><p class="p1">“May…I have a...snack?” Envy asked. “They’re…tasty.”</p><p class="p1">“If you write the letters A through E, big and little, then I’ll bring you a snack.” Marcoh said. Envy smiled widely, nodding their agreement to his terms and looking down at the paper, pencil in hand. Marcoh watched them writing letters, thinking hard between them and even starting over a few times, moving to a new spot on the paper each time. Scribbling the mistakes out or erasing them apparently didn’t occur to them. He’d take it, though. It was still them learning and that was what he was going for. They were improving, something he had been convinced would never happen, and he was elated over it. “What snack would you like?”</p><p class="p1">“Chocolate.” They said, looking at him with that smile still in place. “Like…like the kind…Birda had.”</p><p class="p1">“Alright. Write your letters A through E, big and little, and I’ll go ask him for some chocolate.” Marcoh said.</p><p class="p1">“Ok!” Envy said, returning their attention to the paper with gusto. Marcoh stood up, taking his leave to speak with Lieutenant Breda.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><em>“Good morning, Doctor Marcoh.” Envy said as they brought him breakfast, an oddly cheery smile on their face. “How did you sleep-“ They paused for a moment, “</em> <b> <em>Did</em> </b> <em> you sleep?”</em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Does it really matter?” Marcoh asked. Envy shrugged.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Guess not.” They said, stopping by the table and looking down at the empty plate on it. Marcoh watched them for a moment, expecting a snide remark…but all they did was set down the plate on the tray and pick up the empty one, dirty silverware and all, and put it on the tray. “Ever have cumin in eggs before?” They asked as they picked up the empty glass on the table and set it on the tray as well. “Ed likes it, I guess.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Edward Elric?” Marcoh asked. Envy nodded.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yeah. Cumin, turmeric, ginger, and salt. Weirdest thing I ever tasted, but he fucking loves it.” They said. “We, uh…don’t have that kind of variety in our spice cabinet here so you just have salt, but…” They shrugged again. “Enjoy, I guess.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>And, with that, they left him. He was rescued by Scar before his next meal, but he’d had an odd feeling it would have had some cumin in it.</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Hey, Doctor.” Breda greeted as Doctor Marcoh stepped out of the elevator. “You’re leaving early.”</p><p class="p1">“Actually, I’m here to make a request.” Marcoh said. “I may have promised Envy some chocolate ‘like the kind Birda had’…”</p><p class="p1">Breda laughed.</p><p class="p1">“Still can’t quite get my name right then?” He asked as he dug into the pocket of his jacket, handing on the back of his chair, and produced a chocolate bar.</p><p class="p1">“Apparently not.” Marcoh said. “To be fair,” He added as he took the chocolate bar, “I didn’t correct them this time.”</p><p class="p1">“Eh, just let em be.” Breda said. “S’kinda cute, honestly.”</p><p class="p1">“Are you sure? I can keep trying.” Marcoh offered. Breda nodded.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, I’ll be Birda for them.” He said. “Just them, though.”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh chuckled.</p><p class="p1">“Alright then. I’ll tell them Birda says hello.”</p><p class="p1">“Thanks, Doc.” Breda said as he pulled the lever to open the elevator door again.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Good morning, Doctor Marcoh.” Diane greeted a few days after Envy had first woken. Marcoh smiled.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Good morning, Diane. How are they this morning?”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Well,” Diane said with a frown, “They’re-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I’m sorry, but…where…is Doctor Warley?” Marcoh interrupted, a small confused frown on his face. Diane nodded towards the closed shutter over the window to Envy’s room. “In…Why? I made it clear I wanted no contact unless I was informed first.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The signal from their circlet was cutting out, he went in to take a look.” Diane explained.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I see…” Marcoh said, immediately making his way to the door. </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Envy, what did I say about touching that?” Marcoh scolded as he stood in the doorway of Envy’s room, giving the Homunculus a disappointed look as they quickly lowered their hands away from the circlet on their head.</p><p class="p1">“Not...to.” They said. “It…feels funny...sometimes, though…Can I…take it off..someday?”</p><p class="p1">“Maybe someday,” Marcoh said as he rejoined them on the floor, “but for now, it needs to stay on, and it’s very important. So no more playing with it. Alright?”</p><p class="p1">“Alright.” Envy said, nodding. “I…I wrote…the letters.” They showed him the paper and, sure enough, they’d managed to write A, B, C, D and E in upper and lowercase…although it looked as though it had taken a while and the letters were scattered about throughout different attempts. They appeared to have simply circled the ones they thought looked the neatest. Again, he took it.</p><p class="p1">“Very good job.” He said, gently patting Envy’s head and showing them the chocolate bar. “Here’s your snack, straight from Birda.”</p><p class="p1">“Yay!” Envy cheered, watching eagerly as Marcoh opened the wrapper and broke a piece off the bar, handing it to them. They popped it into their mouth quickly and he frowned.</p><p class="p1">“Envy, what do we say?” He asked.</p><p class="p1">“Thank...you.” Envy said with a smile. “Birda’s…chocolate is good.”</p><p class="p1">Marcoh smiled, he couldn’t help it. Envy took another piece when it was offered to them, eating it quickly, all smiles as they ‘mmmmmm!’ed loudly. He broke off another piece.</p><p class="p1">“A, B, C, D…” He prompted.</p><p class="p1">“E!” Envy said enthusiastically, taking the chocolate when Marcoh offered it. “Tasty!”</p><p class="p1">“Yes,” March agreed with a quiet laugh, “it is.”</p><p class="p1">“Doctor Marcoh,” Doctor Warley’s voice came over the speakers in the room, “it’s almost time for your meeting with General Mustang and the official from the Northern Branch.”</p><p class="p1">“Ah, yes…” He gave a nod towards the window, letting Doctor Warley know he’d heard. Envy looked worried.</p><p class="p1">“You’re…leaving?” They asked.</p><p class="p1">“Only for a little bit.” Marcoh promised. “I’m going to see Roy and his new friend. That’s all.”</p><p class="p1">“Oh.” Envy looked slightly relieved, but a quick glance over their shoulder at the window told him they weren’t looking forward to being left with his colleagues. He supposed he couldn’t blame them, their first few encounters with the others had been…less than ideal and they were always quick to remember fear.</p><p class="p1">“Riza will be in soon to read to you. You know she won’t let anyone bully you.”</p><p class="p1">Envy nodded, eyes downcast now.</p><p class="p1">“But…I…you…keep me…safe.” They said. “You...said I’m...safe with you.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor Warley, what in the world are you doing?!” Marcoh demanded when he fully registered what was happening in front of him. Two technicians were struggling to hold Envy still while Doctor Warley waited with one of the handheld monitors. Understandably for someone as skittish as Envy seemed to be, they were panicking. They barely used words at this point, and abandoned them completely when they were upset, unable to convey their opinions and needs and wants, they struggled and sobbed and made garbled noises of protest at being manhandled so roughly.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Oh, Doctor Marcoh, good morning.“ Doctor Warley said as though nothing was amiss.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“What are you </em> <b> <em>doing</em></b><em>?!” Marcoh repeated, rushing over and prying Envy away from the two men, letting them cling to him and hide their face as they sniffled and whimpered, trembling from their rough treatment. </em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“The circlet on its head was cutting out, I came in to check the connections. It was…resistant. I needed some assistance.” Warley explained.</em>
</p><p class="p1"><em>“This is </em> <b> <em>not</em> </b> <em> how someone in their condition should be treated.” Marcoh said, clearly appalled by his subordinate’s complete and utter disregard for the Homunculus’s psychological and emotional state. “There is a reason I ordered there be no contact with anyone aside from myself.” </em></p><p class="p1">
  <em>“We were having an issue that could be easily assessed, I didn’t-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Leave.” Marcoh ordered. “All three of you. Now.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Doctor, we need to check-“</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I will do it myself, give me the equipment.” Marcoh said, holding out his hand. Doctor Warley looked at the outstretched appendage for a moment, then handed off the monitor.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Very well.” He said. “Signal if you need anything.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Marcoh watched the trio leave before turning his attention to Envy.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“It’s alright, they’re gone. They won’t hurt you.” He said soothingly. Envy peeked out of hiding, looking up at him. He smiled as reassuringly as he could manage. “It’s just me. I won’t let them hurt you. I’ll keep you safe.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“S-S-Sa-Sa…fe…?” Envy stammered, gripping the fabric of Marcoh’s coat firmly, still teary eyed. He nodded, gently stroking their hair to soothe them.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Safe. I will keep you safe…I will take care of you.” He assured them as they buried their face against him again, seeking comfort. “You’re safe with me.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Safe…” They murmured. “S-Safe…wi….w-with…”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Safe with me.” Marcoh repeated as they finally began to calm down. “I will take care of you.” He promised as they looked at him again, relaxing into the doctor’s quiet tones and gentle touch as he worked to console them and quiet their fears.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“S-Safe…with-with…you.” Envy said after a brief while. The longest coherent string of words they’d said thus far. “Safe...with y-you.”</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Yes,” Marcoh said with a nod and a proud smile. “You are safe…with me.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He’d been late for his meeting, unable to bring himself to leave untilLieutenant Hawkeye arrived after that. It was dangerous in a way, being so affected by something. It had cost him in the past, and he had the lingering fear that it would again…But he couldn’t bring himself to approach Envy any different. They needed him, depended on him, and he cared about them far too much to let them down. As he watched both General Mustang and the northern official driving away, he took a moment to enjoy the sun. He spent so much time focused on his work below ground, he often forgot to stop and enjoy the warmth when he had the chance. It was almost amusing that Envy had been the main reason he’d been locked away from it before, and was again now.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“Another lovely day in that quaint little town of yours, Doc.” Envy said mockingly as they set his dinner down, grinning cruelly. “Seems they’re still in mourning over their doctor…Still keeping your house clean and ready for your return, the morons.” They strode over to him, hands on their flared hips, tapping their foot a bit as they looked down at him. “Hope you enjoyed your time in the outside world while you had it…cos you’re never feeling the sun again.”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Welcome back, Doctor Marcoh.” Diane greeted as he stopped at the window to peek over her shoulder at the monitors. “Oh, my, goodness, you’re a bit pink. Are you alright?”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, I’m fine.” Marcoh assured her. “Just getting a little time in the sun is all.”</p><p class="p1">“Oh…It’s been looking for you.” She said. “We had to close the shutter.”</p><p class="p1">“Why close it? There’s nothing wrong with them seeing who comes and goes.” March said. Diane squirmed a bit.</p><p class="p1">“We don’t always like it watching us…” She confessed, clearly uncomfortable. “It just…sits and stares…or watches the door looking forlorn.”</p><p class="p1">“I’ll be making my way back to them now.” Marcoh said. “Provided they haven’t decided to rest.”</p><p class="p1">“Nope,” Adam said, looking over his shoulder at the station where the screens showing the inside of Envy’s room were located. “Still just sitting there.”</p><p class="p1">“Good, good.” Marcoh said. The meeting had gone…strangely and he was in need of the simplicity interacting with Envy offered. When the door opened to Envy’s room, they looked away from the closed shutter, seated on the circle in the center of their room, a wide smile spreading over their face when they saw him. He couldn’t help but return it as they stood up, wobbling a bit, and made their way over to him, stopping and bowing.</p><p class="p1">“Welcome back.” They said happily.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh my god, I had no idea how to end this chapter! I didn’t even get everything in that I wanted to…but it’s gotten…long…so I stopped. I’ll have to add in the last few things in a later chapter.  This one went a bit long too, but Marcoh's become a rather integral character to the story and I had a lot to work with given that his opinion of Envy has done a complete 180 for the story's sake. Envy's evolution from dick to not dick-ish to "new brain, who dis" has been interesting to mull over and try to put into words as well. I've never been good at going slow with things so this has been tricky for me...but I like how this failed oneshot is going. Team Mustang is next, because you know they’re all getting in on this.</p><p>Songs from the title, incase that matters:<br/><em>You'll Be In My Heart</em> by Phil Collins<br/><em>I'm Still Here</em> by John Rzeznik<br/><em>Dearest</em> by Hamasaki Ayumi<br/><em>Lullaby</em> by Creed</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Gonna end out  with a whole soundtrack by the end of this thing,  I swear it, yo.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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